Police Arrest Dozens Of Parking Plumbers In Palembang For Extortion

ILLUSTRATION/BETWEEN

PALEMBANG - The Jatanras Team of the South Sumatran Police arrested a dozen parking attendants from a number of downtown areas and markets in Palembang City, for allegedly carrying out illegal levies or collecting parking fees outside the provisions.

Head of Sub-Directorate 3 Jatanras Polda Sumsel, Kompol Christopher Panjaitan said his team dispatched a team to explore several parking locations whose parking attendants were viral on social media. The parking attendant collects parking fees outside of the parking levy provisions set by the local municipal government, namely Rp. 1,000 for motorbikes and Rp. 2,000 for cars.

He explained that after public complaints and the viral video of parking attendants in Palembang asking for parking fees of up to Rp. 10,000 from private car owners. The police also carried out operations to control extortion on the streets and crowd centers.

During the extortion operation, 14 unlicensed parking attendants were secured and suspected of withdrawing parking fees exceeding the provisions of the Jalan Kolonel Atmo area, Megaria Shopping Center, Jalan Beringin Janggut I, under the Ampera bridge in the Pasar 16 Ilir area, the fountain roundabout, Jalan Merdeka. Kambang Iwak area, he said.

The parking attendants who were secured were recorded and examined regarding their intentions and purposes for carrying out extortion or actions that caused unrest for vehicle owners who parked their vehicles in the area where they operate.

After an inspection was carried out and they admitted that they were wrong to collect parking fees outside the provisions and did not have a permit as a parking attendant, they were allowed to go home.

The parking attendant is still given the opportunity to take part in the coaching program, but if it is proven that he has committed illegal acts, it will be processed according to legal provisions, he said.

Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary of Palembang, Ratu Dewa, supports the operation of taking action against parking attendants who carry out illegal levies or withdrawals of parking retributions outside the provisions.

The act of parking attendants committing extortion against motorized vehicle owners who parked in a number of parking lots up to Rp. 10,000 was outrageous and violated the provisions.

According to Palembang Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 16 of 2011, the parking fee for two-wheeled vehicles is Rp. 1,000 and Rp. 2,000 for four-wheeled vehicles for one-time parking at designated places.