JAKARTA: Indonesian authorities have reported that 45 Malaysian nationals were victims of alleged extortion by police personnel during the Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) concert.
The National Police’s Profession and Security Division head Inspector General Abdul Karim stated that the secured evidence is valued at IDR 2.5 billion (US$160,000).
“Two official complaints had been filed by the Malaysian nationals,” he said in a press conference broadcast live by Metro TV, adding that their identities would be protected throughout the investigation.
He stressed that the case is being closely monitored by external bodies such as the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) to ensure transparency and fairness in the investigation.
“We, the leadership of the National Police, are serious about dealing with any form of violations committed by our police officers, and we will take firm action against anyone, regardless of who the victim is,” he added.
On Saturday, Indonesian police detained 18 personnel for allegedly extorting Malaysian nationals at the three-day DWP concert in Kemayoran, North Jakarta, which ended on Dec 15.
Following the arrests, Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana praised the police for their quick action in investigating the alleged extortion of tourists during the concert.
The ministry has coordinated with the event promoters and police to address the issue since the tourists’ concerns were made public.
“The Ministry of Tourism apologises for the inconvenience and impact caused by this incident,” she said.
