CNEWS | JAKARTA — The year 2025 marked a dark chapter for a family of public school teachers from West Sulawesi, whose repeated encounters with traffic police in South Sulawesi Province left deep scars of humiliation, fear, and shattered trust in law enforcement.
Over the course of one year, the family reports being stopped five times in different districts — Barru, Soppeng, Takalar, and Bantaeng near the Bulukumba border — under a recurring pattern: no formal ticketing process, only “informal settlements” allegedly ending in illegal payments.
What makes this testimony particularly striking is the identity of the narrator: the son of a former Indonesian police officer, who once served in Bulukumba Regency. The father has since passed away after retirement, but the family says they continue to uphold the values of integrity and public service he instilled.
“Because of our background, the abuse felt even more painful,” the writer notes. “This was not just about money—it was about dignity.”
Complete Documents, Roadworthy Vehicle—Still Targeted
The family regularly travels by private vehicle from Makassar to Soppeng and Bulukumba. According to their account, the vehicle’s tax was always up to date, SIM and STNK were valid, and routine maintenance was performed at an authorized Toyota dealership (Haji Kalla, Polewali Mandar).
Yet none of these safeguards prevented what they describe as systematic abuse of authority.
The most serious incident occurred in September 2025 on AP Pettarani Road, Makassar, near the toll road exit and flyover. As the traffic light turned green, a traffic officer abruptly stopped their car and allegedly reached toward the ignition area, a move the family considers dangerous and non-procedural.
Without a clear explanation, the driver was escorted to a police post and asked to sign a traffic citation. When he questioned the alleged violation, the officer claimed that the front-seat passenger was not wearing a seatbelt and was using a mobile phone — accusations the family says were unsubstantiated and unverifiable on the spot.
When the driver refused to sign the ticket, maintaining his innocence, the atmosphere reportedly turned tense and coercive.
Then came the statement that defined the incident:
“Just leave five hundred thousand rupiah.”
Extortion Under Pressure
The victim describes being under severe psychological pressure. A civil servant teacher with limited income, he also has a medical history of a minor stroke and has been advised by doctors to avoid emotional stress.
With his SIM and STNK confiscated, and the prospect of a court hearing that would require missing teaching duties and facing administrative consequences, the situation became untenable.
Following a closed-door negotiation involving his wife, the officer allegedly agreed to accept IDR 200,000, on the condition that the incident not be documented or reported. The money was handed over, the documents returned, and the family continued their journey — shaken, angry, and deeply disillusioned.
Police Post Burned After Public Protests
Days later, widespread student and public demonstrations erupted across several regions, including Makassar. The following morning, the family received news that the traffic police post on Pettarani Road — the very location of the alleged extortion — had been burned down by protesters. Officers stationed there were reportedly forced to flee.
“We sat in silence for a long time,” the writer recalls. “We felt sadness and concern, but also as if we were witnessing cause and effect at work.”
A Crisis of Legitimacy
This testimony, the author emphasizes, is not an attack on the police institution, but a direct indictment of rogue officers who betray their mandate and erode public trust.
Police officers and elected officials, the writer argues, are public servants, not rulers of the street.
“If a minor violation occurs, give a warning and education. Do not extort citizens under the guise of law enforcement.”
The account stands as a stark portrait of Indonesia’s deepening crisis of trust in law enforcement, and a powerful reminder that police reform slogans mean little without accountability on the ground.
This article is based on a first-person testimony by a citizen and child of a former Indonesian police officer, submitted as part of the PPWI Writing Competition themed “Bad Experiences with the Indonesian Police.” The editorial board considers this testimony a legitimate public evaluation tool and a vital contribution to discussions on institutional reform grounded in lived experience. (MN)
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