Government's unexpected response

Then what is the government's response to the behavior of mass organizations such as extortion and destruction, recently there has also been a trend related to extortion and destruction of companies, schools, and institutions carried out by mass organizations under the alibi of asking for THR and providing regional security, not a few if not given will provide threats to destruction. according to SyafI'I as Deputy Minister of Religion "I think that's the Indonesian Lebaran culture from time immemorial", Tuesday (25/3/2025) quoted by CNBC Indonesia. of course this is a bad statement for the image of the government with this response, of course, it will be a framing to the public that the government has consciously normalized extortion with the alibi of the traditions of the Indonesian nation. instead of resolving this matter, many officials have turned a blind eye to this matter until the thugs under the guise of mass organizations have claimed lives, to destroy both private and public facilities. Whereas it is clear in Law No. 16 of 2017 concerning the Stipulation of Perppu Ormas that a number of regulations and prohibitions are mentioned, among which are contained in article 59 paragraph (3) Letter C, which prohibits mass organizations from committing acts of violence, disturbing peace, and / or public order, or damaging public facilities and social facilities.[3]

Harmonizing Regulations and Reality, Challenges in Law Enforcement of Mass Organizations

The gap between legal text and implementation in the field is often a reflection of the challenges of legal effectiveness in Indonesia. Normatively, the government actually has adequate instruments through administrative sanctions to dissolution mechanisms for organizations proven to violate public order. However, challenges arise when the approach in the field tends to prioritize sociological aspects or local traditions, which can unwittingly obscure the integrative function of the law itself.

The misalignment between central policy and interpretation at the local level often creates room for precedents that are less than ideal for the business climate. When an act of violation is viewed through the lens of culture or old customs, it is feared that it will shift the state's main focus in providing equitable legal protection. For businesses and investors, legal certainty is not just a series of rules on paper, but a guarantee of security that is felt concretely in daily operational activities.

Maintaining social stability is indeed a complex task for public officials. However, sustainable stability should be built on the foundation of consistent rule of law, not just maintaining short-term harmony. It is important for us to start reconciling the portion of freedom of association with the obligation to comply with the corridors of national law. Thus, the state is not only present as a regulator, but also as a guarantor of the subjective rights of every citizen and economic actor to do business safely.

This transformation requires collective commitment so that existing legal instruments can be implemented in a measured and professional manner. This is so that the aspiration to increase national economic growth can go hand in hand with strengthening an orderly and law-abiding social order.

Impact on Business Climate

Because of the many acts of thuggery that use the attributes of troubling mass organizations and the lack of regulation and handling from the government, many entrepreneurs and investors have instead moved their businesses abroad, for example Vietnam. The number of complaints made to the government should certainly be its duty to curb mass organizations that have been rampant, and take decisive action in eradicating unscrupulous mass organizations and not just giving appeals that do not make members of mass organizations deterrent and continue to repeat them. of course this does not make the business and investment climate in Indonesia not conducive. Chairperson of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) Shinta Widjaja Kamdani said that due to thugs from Community Organizations (CSOs), investors are reluctant to invest in Indonesia. She mentioned many complaints that have been received from business people for the actions of unscrupulous organizations. The mode varies from illegal levies, security money, project allotments, and others. These things make investors uncomfortable investing in Indonesia. Not only does it have a social impact, the thuggery of mass organizations also affects Indonesia's economic progress. As explained by the Indonesian Industrial Estate Association (HKI), there are alleged losses of up to hundreds of trillions of rupiah. This is allegedly the result of canceled investment and exit from the industrial area due to the impact of thuggery of community organizations (mass organizations). Not a few mass organizations also carry out security disturbances, at some time mass organizations often enter the company area to carry out demonstrations, this is done so that the mass organizations are included in the development process or factory activities. This is also the beginning of the destruction of the Indonesian economy, because many investors have left and failed to enter, and many companies have left Indonesia and closed as a result of the actions of a handful of mass organizations that commit thuggery.

The latest case occurred at the BYD factory in Subang in 2025, Deputy Chairman of MPR RI Eddy Soeparno said that mass organizations had disrupted the construction of the Chinese BYD electric vehicle factory in Subang, West Java. This was conveyed when he visited the BYD factory in China.[4]

"There were problems related to thuggery, mass organizations that disrupted the construction of BYD facilities. I think the local government (pemda) needs to be firm to handle this. Do not let investors enter Indonesia without security guarantees," said Eddy in his upload on Instagram @eddy_soeparno, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. However, he did not specify the thuggery in question.

In the end, the existence of mass organizations should be the motor of development, not the one that undermines the nation's economy. If you continue to let this thuggery pass under the pretext of 'tradition' or 'culture', then don't blame if one by one investors leave for neighboring countries that offer better legal certainty. It is time for Law No. 16/2017 to be enforced indiscriminately. The state must not allow freedom of association to turn into a justification for acts of intimidation, extortion and violence. Organizations must still be protected as a space for citizen participation, but the practice of thuggery using the attributes of mass organizations must be dealt with firmly.