West Java Social Service Hands Over Cases Of Alleged Extortion To ODGJ Families To Mandatory Parties

West Java Social Service Head Ida Wahidah Hidayati gave information after her inauguration as Acting Mayor (Pj) of Banjar at Gedung Sate, Bandung, Monday (4/12/2023). (ANTARA/Ricky Prayoga)

JAKARTA - Head of the West Java Social Service (Dinsos) Ida Wahidah Hidayati said that her party had submitted a case of alleged extortion by an individual to the family of People with Mental Disorders (ODGJ) entrusted from the Social Service Office of Bandung Regency in Cilacap, Central Java to the police. "If there are people from the Satkar (work unit) who are said to charge the ODGJ family, we will hand it over to the authorities, namely the Bandung Regency Government to investigate and the police," said Ida in Bandung, Antara, Monday, December 4. "For sanctions, we also leave it to the authorities, because that's the category of extortion, later according to existing regulations," he said. Regarding the complaints from the orphanage administrators because for nine months there was no assistance from the West Java Provincial Government or the Bandung District Social Service Office for handling ODGJ which was entrusted to the orphanage, Ida suspected that there was a financing problem. The reason, said Ida, is that the orphanage in Cilacap already has a cooperation agreement to entrust 40 ODGJ people from the Social Service Office of Bandung Regency. However, there was a delay in financing, maybe due to lack of funds or others that caused ODGJ to be abandoned. "West Java Social Service has sent food assistance to foundations and provided cash from the West Java Provincial Government in the amount of Rp. 25 million. The information is that today the Social Service Office of Bandung Regency will pick them up and place them in their facilities in Bale Endah," he said. Regarding the ODGJ issue in West Java, Ida acknowledged, it has not been handled optimally considering the large number, while there is no qualified ODGJ special institution to accommodate them. This caused the West Java Provincial Government and the district/city government to take care of 36 community-owned social rehabilitation institutions, including outside the province. Currently, according to him, the West Java Provincial Government is in the process of completing the construction of an orphanage in Sumedang Regency. "Our weakness is that we don't have an orphanage for handling. Hopefully next year it will be opened, and the ODGJ problem can be handled. God willing, next year we will operate, we will inaugurate it. For the current temporary capacity 80 people. I want the capacity to be above 500 people," he said. Previously circulated a video of a complaint from the head of the rehabilitation center for Mental Disorders and Drugs Tanbihul Ghofirin Cilacap, Jasono, which was made on December 2, 2023 and addressed to Acting (Pj) Governor of West Java Bey Kalioni Machmudin and Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Tri Rismaharini. In the 5 minutes 17 second video received by ANTARA, the head of the orphanage complained that there was no financial assistance from the Bandung Social Service, even though nine months ago the Bandung Social Service Office entrusted 40 ODGJs to their homes for rehabilitation. According to his confession, during the nine months, all of the ODGJs were financed by him because he knew the background of these people. In fact, according to him, the ODGJ families were asked for money, some even up to tens of millions of rupiah for their needs while being treated.

"But until now, no one has reached one hundred thousand," he said.