Many Fallen Victims, Bamsoet Says There Are Cross-Country Directors And Businessmen Through Illegal Loans

Chairman of the MPR, Bambang Soesatyo/PHOTO: ANTARA

JAKARTA – The number of victims of illegal online loans (pinjol) has been highlighted by the Chairman of the MPR, Bambang Soesatyo. He said the authorities should take firm action against illegal fintech that ensnares the public.

"The Indonesian National Police must be the leading unit in eradicating these illegal online loans," said Bambang Soesatyo, quoted from Antara, Saturday, August 28.

Bamsoet, the nickname for Bambang Soesatyo, said if necessary the DPR and the government would draft a new law that regulates online loans.

"It's not enough just to handle it at the task force level," said Bamsoet referring to the Task Force for Handling Alleged Unlawful Actions in the Field of Community Fund Raising and Investment Management or the Investment Alert Task Force.

According to him, digital crimes such as illegal online loans should not be viewed as merely local crimes.

"This has become a transnational crime involving directors and funders from various countries. This includes disrupting the cyber security system in Indonesia, consumer protection crimes, and data confidentiality crimes," he said.

He explained, the modus operandi of illegal online loans, apart from charging very high interest and debt collectors who intimidate the victim, often steals data from the victim's cell phone.

"This action should be easily traced and legal action taken. There should be no impression that the state through the ministry/institution with the authority it has allowed the existence of illegal online loans," he said.

He said, according to a report by the Young Advocates Association, in a day they received hundreds of reports of people being entangled in illegal online loans.

Therefore, the police must move quickly to crack down on illegal online loans. Kominfo must also ask the AppStore and Playstore managers to remove illegal online loan applications. Because, according to Bamsoet, people can see that online loan applications in the AppStore and Playstore are legal.

In the January-July 2021 period, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) has at least blocked 172 illegal online loan entities. As for the accumulation since 2018, there are 3,365 illegal online loans that have been blocked. OJK noted that from 2011 to 2020, public losses due to illegal investments were Rp114.9 trillion.

The former chairman of Commission III of the House of Representatives emphasized that illegal online loan managers could be charged with Article 30 in conjunction with Article 46 and/or Article 32 in conjunction with Article 48 of Law Number 19/2016 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions and/or Article 62 Paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 8 Paragraph (1) letter f of Law Number 8/1999 concerning Consumer Protection.

In addition, it can also be suspected of Article 378 of the Criminal Code and/or Article 3 or Article 4 or Article 5 or Article 6 or Article 10 of Law Number 8/2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of the Crime of Money Laundering.