KUALA LUMPUR: The organisers of a music festival in Jakarta, Indonesia, are collaborating with authorities to address alleged police harassment of attendees, including those from Malaysia.
In a statement, the Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) acknowledged the concerns and expressed regret over the challenges and frustrations experienced by attendees.
"While certain aspects of the situation were beyond our direct control, we fully understand the impact this has had on you,” it said in an Instagram post on Wednesday (Dec 18).
We are actively working with the relevant authorities and government bodies to thoroughly investigate what occurred and to ensure concrete measures are implemented to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future," they added.
The organisers also said they hoped that everyone remained safe during their time in Indonesia.
"Your support, passion, and trust have been invaluable in making this year's DWP a great success.
We are sincerely grateful to each and every one of you for being part of this DWP family, no matter where you are from. We look forward to welcoming you back next year in our beloved country, Indonesia," it continued.
The statement posted on their social media page received comments from attendees expressing their disappointment.
One user, @zainal_rahman68 said that he had been attending the festival for over a decade, and added that this time was a nightmare. He claimed his hotel was raided on the second night of the festival.
"They took us to the headquarters and performed a well-practiced drama to extract up to 300mil rupiah (approximately RM83,600) from us. I love Indonesia, but I will not be attending DWP again," he said.
Another user, @mzhy88, stated that he went to the festival to have a good time and enjoy the food but will not return next year. He felt paranoid during the event, alleging it was an opportunity for the police to make money.
User @paulahadji said she only felt safe after returning to Malaysia.
User @jpssm18 mentioned he was lucky this time.
"I was not pulled aside like other ravers. I do not want to go through this next time; it is best to avoid the event," he said.
