Meeting Kaesang, The Nusantara Driver Community Complained About The Rise Of Extortion On The Road

The atmosphere when PSI Chairman Kaesang Pangarep received aspirations from the Nusantara Driver Community Forum in Menteng Area, Jakarta, Wednesday (29/11/2023). ANTARA/Rio Feisal

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Kaesang Pangarep received aspirations from goods transport drivers who are members of the Nusantara Drivers Community Forum. "I received an urgency from my fellow drivers, especially the transportation of goods. So, there are two problems that were conveyed by fellow drivers," said Kaesang in the Menteng area, Jakarta, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, November 29. Kaesang said that one of the two problems experienced by goods transport drivers was the existence of illegal levies (extortion). "One of them is extortion, and the second is that their status has not actually been recognized as a job. For example at BPJS, they are still BPU, not beneficiaries," he said. Kaesang said that his party would fight for the rights of these drivers so that they could be calm and comfortable at work. "Yes, later there will be friends, especially from LBH (law aid institutions) for extortion issues," said Kaesang explaining the follow-up after getting aspirations. Kaesang said that currently there is formal and non-formal extortion. Non-formal extortion is like when crossing provincial roads. "The formal thing is to know what. The non-formal thing is when it's like we walk in the existing provincial route, say Lampung, that's extortion by local residents," he said. According to him, non-formal extortion can occur when the drivers are involved in traffic accidents (lakalantas). When the drivers have reconciled with the victim's family, he continued, they must spend money to be able to retrieve the vehicle involved in the accident. "However, when you want to take the unit from the vehicle, yes, it is charged a fee that should not be there and there is no need," he said. Kaesang agreed to help with the driver's problems, especially LBH will help and try to bridge the gap. Meanwhile, the East Region Coordinator of the Nusantara Driver Community Forum Valerie hopes that Kaesang can help overcome two problems that her party aspires to. "My arrival here specifically asks. Hopefully Mas Kaesang can help us to get legal protection for drivers," said Valerie. Elections for Legislative Members in 2024 were attended by 18 national political parties, namely (according to serial numbers) of the National Awakening Party, Gerindra Party, PDI-P, Golkar Party, NasDem Party, Labor Party, Indonesian Gelora Party, Prosperous Justice Party, Nusantara Awakening Party, Hanura Party, Garuda Party, National Mandate Party, Crescent Star Party, Democrat Party, Indonesian Solidarity Party, Perindo Party, United Development Party, and Ummat Party.

In addition, the 2024 Legislative Member Election was also attended by six local political parties, namely the Aceh Nanggroe Party, the Atjeh Beusaboh Tha'at and Taqwa Generation Party, the Aceh Darul Party, the Aceh Aceh Party, the Aceh Prosperous Justice Party, and the Acehnese People's Independent Solidity Party. The 2024 Legislative Member Election will be held simultaneously with the 2024 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections on February 14, 2024.