Support for the Formation of an Anti-Thug Task Force Government Efforts to Enforce the Law
By: Rianto Agas )*
Thugs are not just street criminal acts, but rather a serious threat to the legal system, public order, and the national economic and investment climate. In the context of a country based on the rule of law like Indonesia, all forms of violence and coercion carried out by individuals or groups, including community organizations (ormas) that deviate from their corridors, are a real disturbance to the authority of the state. Therefore, the government’s steps through the National Police to form an Anti-Thug Task Force (Satgas) deserve to be appreciated and receive broad support from the community.
The government’s firmness in controlling acts of thuggery is a sign of its seriousness in upholding the supremacy of law. Thuggery often appears in various forms: from extortion, illegal control of territory, intimidation in the name of mass organizations, to violence carried out under the guise of debt collection services. This phenomenon not only disrupts social order, but also becomes a significant obstacle for business actors, investors, and the wider community in carrying out economic activities freely and safely.
The Chairman of Indonesia Police Watch (IPW), Sugeng Teguh Santoso, welcomed the government’s firm steps in maintaining security and public order. He emphasized the importance of law enforcement that is not selective and based on the principle of justice. Sugeng expressed his support for the government to maintain security and public order, with firm law enforcement steps based on the law without discrimination on the activities of individuals or community groups. He also encouraged the Chief of Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, to immediately form an Anti-Thug Task Force throughout Indonesia, in order to eradicate acts of thuggery that are often carried out by individuals who claim to be mass organizations.
What IPW conveyed is a reflection of public concern. In practice, there are quite a few certain groups who hide behind the legality of organizations, but carry out illegal actions such as extortion, forced land acquisition, and even assault. When practices like this are allowed to continue, not only the direct victims are harmed, but also public trust in state institutions.
The steps taken by the Police through the formation of the Anti-Thug Task Force are a concrete answer to this problem. Head of the Public Information Bureau of the National Police Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko, emphasized that the formation of the Task Force is a form of the police institution’s commitment to maintaining national security stability and encouraging economic growth. He added that the Task Force’s operations will be carried out with a law enforcement approach supported by intelligence, preemptive, and preventive activities. This approach shows that the National Police do not only act after a violation occurs, but strive to prevent and anticipate early on potential security disturbances by thug groups.
In addition, this integrated approach is also a form of modernization of the perspective in handling thuggery, which is not only based on physical strength or repression, but also through early detection, education, and increasing the presence of officers in the community.
Support for the formation of the Anti-Thuggery Task Force also came from legal professionals. Legal observer and senior advocate, Dr. Togar Situmorang said that the practice of thuggery is very disturbing and must be eradicated so that it does not become part of the culture. He emphasized that acts of violence in any form, including those carried out by parties claiming to collect debts, must not be tolerated.
Togar’s statement reinforces that thuggery not only violates criminal law, but also violates the noble values of the Indonesian nation that uphold mutual cooperation, peace, and civility. Moreover, when violent acts are carried out by groups that abuse the legality of the organization to carry out illegal activities, the state is obliged to be present to enforce the law and protect its citizens.
In the context of national development, security is the main foundation. No investment grows in fear, no trade develops in intimidation. Therefore, the efforts of the National Police to form an Anti-Thuggery Task Force are not only relevant within the legal framework, but also vital to encourage national economic progress. Strict law enforcement will provide legal certainty for business actors, as well as provide a sense of security for the entire community.
