Kemenkop Finds 20 Cooperatives Opening Illegal Loans In The Tendean Area Of South Jakarta

Dozens of employees involved in illegal loans (Rizky Sulistio/VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy for Cooperatives at the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Ahmad Zabadi, revealed that his party found 20 cooperatives that opened illegal online lending practices (pinjol) using office facilities (virtual office) in the Tendean area, South Jakarta.

The activity, which was carried out on Tuesday, October 26, was a sudden investigation or inspection as an effort to dismantle illegal loans claiming to be a cooperative legal entity.

"This is allegedly formed by one person who has now been named a suspect by the Criminal Investigation Department, with the initials JS," he said at a virtual press conference, Antara, Thursday, October 28.

Based on the information obtained, he continued, the 20 cooperatives were established in 2021 and have not yet obtained a business license in the field of Savings and Loans Cooperatives (KSP).

The deed of establishment of 20 cooperatives is also said to only use the permission of a notary. His party is said to have also received information that the suspect has also established several other cooperatives with different addresses.

In fact, based on the Ministerial Regulation (Permen) of Cooperatives and SMEs No. 15 of 2021 it is stated, KSP must have a clear place of business and must display a nameplate, both at the head office and at the network office. Therefore, the use of a virtual office as a KSP does not meet the provisions of the applicable regulations.

During the inspection, it was stated that his party had reminded the manager that the virtual office facility should not be used as a savings and loan office. "It should not be hidden or unknown, because this is an effort to build transparency and accountability," he said.

Zabadi also conveyed several modes commonly used by illegal borrowing, namely making offers from various social media, using the name of certain cooperatives and often even with the names of existing cooperatives. Then, profiteering the names of cooperatives that have obtained permits.

"This is indicated by the investigators, that the perpetrators who practice illegal lending and even buying and selling cooperative legal entities. So, the cooperative used is not a real cooperative," he said.

In addition, it is not uncommon for illegal borrowers to claim that they have been supervised by authority holders such as the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and put up a cooperative logo or the logo of the Kemenkop-UKM.

"It is undeniable that some of these illegal practices are actually carried out by cooperatives that already have a legal entity, but their activities are not in accordance with cooperative principles," said Zabadi.