JAKARTA: Indonesian police have arrested 18 police officers suspected of being involved in an extortion case against attendees, which included Malaysians, of the Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) music festival on Dec 15.
All the officers involved are from various units, including the Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police, Central Jakarta Metropolitan Police, and the Kemayoran Metropolitan Police Station, reports Detik.com.
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According to reports, during the event, a Malaysian attendee was allegedly pulled aside and had the passport confiscated by several police officers.
"That was when the extortion took place, as the victim's friend had to hand over a sum of money to retrieve the confiscated passport," said the Head of the Public Information Bureau of the Public Relations Division of the Indonesian National Police, Police Brigadier General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko, as reported by Tribunnews on Friday.
The case has tarnished the image of the Indonesian security forces, especially since it involves a foreign national who is a tourist, reported Sinar Harian.
A thorough investigation is being conducted by the Indonesian National Police Propam to determine the appropriate disciplinary or legal action against the perpetrators.
Earlier organisers of DWP in a statement 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).
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.
