Kenneth DPRD DKI highlights extortion at Tebet Eco Park, requests heightened surveillance

Jakarta – Member of the DKI Jakarta Provincial DPRD of the PDI Perjuangan faction, Hardiyanto Kenneth, spoke in response to reports of illegal charges of IDR 500 thousand allegedly made by a photographer community against visitors to Tebet Eco Park. Bang Kent – Hardiyanto Kenneth’s nickname – sees this action as a form of abuse of public space that undermines the initial purpose of building the open park. “I take seriously the report of an illegal charge of IDR 500 thousand allegedly carried out by a community of photographers against visitors to Tebet Eco Park. If this really happened, it is a form of abuse of public space and harms the original spirit of the park, which is a green open space that is inclusive, free, and accessible by all walks of life without discrimination,” emphasized Kent in his statement, Wednesday. (23/10/2025). Scroll TO GO WITH CONTENT The member of Commission C DPRD Jakarta reminded that Tebet Eco Park was built with the help of DKI Jakarta Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD) funds collected from the tax money of the people of Jakarta, so that all the facilities in it are public rights that cannot be commercialized by any party without official permission. “It must be understood that Tebet Eco Park was built with tax money from the people of Jakarta. No individual, group or community should unilaterally commercialize the park area. Charges like this can give the impression that public space is only for those who can afford to pay, even though the principle is fair access for all,” he said. Highlighting the poor supervision of the chairman of IKAL (Lemhannas RI Alumni Family Association) PPRA Batch LXII also highlighted the poor supervision of the City Parks and Forest Service (Distamhut) and the Tebet Ecopark Area Management Unit. According to him, commercial activities must be closely monitored so as not to give rise to illegal charges like this. “The photography community is certainly allowed to carry out activities, but they do not have the authority to collect fees from visitors. Especially with such a large amount and without a clear regulatory basis,” he said. As a result, Kent urged the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government through the Forest Service and the South Jakarta City Government to conduct an in-depth investigation into the alleged practice of illegal levies. “The DKI Provincial Government, through the Department of Forestry and the South Jakarta City Government, in this case, through the Subdistrict Head or Village Head, must investigate in depth whether there really are these illegal charges, who is involved, and how they can operate without supervision in public spaces. If this is proven, there must be strict sanctions, both administrative and legal, so that similar things in the Jakarta do not happen in other parks not,” emphasized. Request to rearrange commercial activity regulations Furthermore, he asked the DKI Provincial Government to reorganize the licensing mechanism for commercial photography activities in public spaces, so that the boundaries between professional activities and recreational activities of residents are clear. “Citizens who just want to take photos personally or with their family should not be charged a fee. If there is a large-scale commercial activity, the permits should be official, transparent, and or for example if there is a charge, it should be regulated by the government, not the community,” he continued. Kent emphasized that illegal charges in public spaces are not only detrimental to the community, but also tarnish the image of the DKI Provincial Government which is trying to make Jakarta a friendly, inclusive and socially just city. “Jakarta must not become a city where public spaces can be commercialized by a handful of parties. Tebet Eco Park and all parks or public facilities in DKI Jakarta must still be able to become shared living spaces, where residents interact and rest without fear of being sued by anyone,” he concluded. It should be noted in advance that the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Pramono Anung, emphasized that green open spaces (RTH) in Jakarta, including Tebet Eco Park, are free for the public to use for various activities, including photography. This was relayed by Pramono in response to news that there was a charge of IDR 500 thousand allegedly requested by a community of photographers for visitors who want to have a photo shoot in the area. He stressed that city parks are public spaces that should not be used for illegal charges (extortion), especially for non-commercial activities. Meanwhile, Head of the City Parks Department of the DKI Jakarta City Parks and Forest Service, Dimas Ario Nugroho, emphasized that his party has never banned photography activities, whether by individuals or communities. In response to reports of these charges, the park management called the concerned photographer community to ask for clarification. Based on the results of the meeting, the community admitted that they had implemented their own internal system that was not affiliated with the department. Furthermore, Dimas explained that the Rp. 500 thousand that was widely discussed was not a photography fee, but rather a fee for new members of the community. The funds were reportedly used to make ID cards and jackets, about Rp. 250 thousand, while the remaining Rp. 250 thousand was awarded as internal community cash. However, the department will still issue an official warning to the community and is committed to increasing surveillance in the Tebet Eco Park area so that a similar incident does not happen again. (mpr/ega)