Reasons For The Rampant Brawl Of Youth During The Implementation Of The PSBB

Illustrated (Ilham Amin / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government is promoting the implementation of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) to reduce the spread of COVID-19. People are asked to move from home and can only go out if things are urgent or important.

However, this policy seems not to be implemented by a handful of people or groups, especially teenagers who are still huddled together and have unimportant activities outside the room. In fact, the police have noted that there have been several brawls in the Jabodetabek area.

For example, a youth group brawl that occurred on Thursday, April 23, in the Ciputat area, South Tangerang. As a result of this brawl, a teenager with the initials RR (20) died with stab wounds.

The police, who immediately stepped in, examined four of the victims' colleagues to find out the perpetrators of the stabbing. However, the police have not been able to reveal it.

Brawl also occurred in the Pondok Aren area, South Tangerang. However, in this case, the brawl has not yet occurred, but is still in the planning stage.

The police, who at that time were on patrol to prevent the crowd, immediately dispersed them. However, before being asked to go home, five of them were given advice first.

There are still many brawls amidst the implementation of the PSBB, according to University of Indonesia crimininologist Adrianus Meliala because of his sense of indifference during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, there are no corona patients in their environment yet, making them move outside the home.

"It is possible that the two groups have not been affected by the outbreak and none of them have been tested positive," Adrianus told VOI, Tuesday, April 28.

Then, another factor that causes brawl is still rampant because these teenagers do not have a long mindset. They are still concerned with the ego of each individual and group. Thus, they looked at everyone outside the group as enemies.

"Because of the strong perceptions of in-group and out-group between the two groups. The stronger the two, the greater the possibility of open conflict. This is because each considers the other party as an enemy," said Adrianus.

A criminal law observer at Al Azhar University Suparji Ahmad said, there were still many fights during the implementation of the PSBB during this pandemic, because there had not been any penalties that had a deterrent effect. So, teenagers are not afraid to repeat similar actions.

"The sanctions imposed on those concerned for the previous brawl have not caused a deterrent effect and educate them so that they are still brave enough to fight," Suparji concluded.