Medan Education Office Opens Telephone Line To Fight Extortion

Head of the Medan City Education Office, Admiral Putra Siregar. (ANTARA/HO-Diskominfo Medan City)

MEDAN - The Education Office (Disdik) of Medan City, North Sumatra, has opened a telephone line for the community to eradicate the practice of illegal levies (extortion) on all forms of education services in the area.

"One of the efforts we are taking is to open a hotline complaint channel (phone line) 0853 7109 3888," said Head of the Medan City Education Office, Admiral Putra Siregar, quoted by Antara, Thursday, March 10.

Eradication of extortion, he continued, is one of the programs being promoted by the Medan City Education Office, because several cases have been found and have been dealt with according to the rules.

As is known, the Mayor of Medan Bobby Nasution is known to be anti-extortion and does not hesitate to take firm action against the Medan City Government officials who are proven to have committed this disgraceful act.

"We hope that the hotline will open up the widest possible space for residents who complain if they find allegations of illegal extortion or deviant services," he asserted.

In addition to the complaint number, he explained, residents who experience or find allegations of illegal extortion can send messages directly through the social media accounts of the Medan City Education Office.

"These complaint channels are a manifestation of our commitment to eradicate all forms of extortion in the implementation of education services," said Admiral.

Now residents are starting to take advantage of the complaint channel, as a complaint about alleged extortion practices at SMP Negeri 39 Medan has been submitted and his party immediately went to the field yesterday to check it out.

"The result is that there are cases. There are parents of students who illegally collected Rp. 1 million on the grounds of administrative costs of moving to schools," he explained.

After finding the truth of the complaint, his party asked for the money collected back. "We sent a letter to the city inspectorate, so that an examination and evaluation of the case was carried out," he continued.

He also appealed to the public not to hesitate to use the two complaint channels that have been opened.

"We will protect those who complain. We will make sure that the reports are true, they are not intimidated or pressured or made difficult in other ways," said the Admiral.