While there are no doubt many people who are desperately poor panhandling on Jakarta’s streets, many are cynical towards the city’s beggars due to news stories about those found to be far better off than their appearance would suggest.
Twenty-eight-year-old Irfan is one such beggar. This morning, the Jakarta Social Agency arrested Irfan at a pedestrian bridge in Sarinah, Central Jakarta, after they had received complaints about his begging from citizens via the QLUE app. The officers found that the supposedly impoverished young man was in possession of two high-end smartphones.
“We found Irfan was carrying cash totaling Rp 1.5 million, as well as a Samsung Note 3 and an iPhone 5S,” said Central Jakarta Social Agency head Susana Budi, as quoted by Detik today.
According to the agency, Irfan came to Jakarta from Sukabumi, West Java in 2010 to beg. Irfan has begged at various spots throughout the capital, including in Citraland and Kebayoran Lama.
Irfan’s disfigured limbs apparently drew the sympathies of many passers-bys. According to the Social Agency, Irfan admitted that he earns around Rp 200,000 per day from begging in Jakarta. To put that into perspective, he could earn around Rp 6 million per month. We’re sure many fresh university graduates would kill for that kind of salary for their first job.
Irfan is now going to be placed at a shelter run by the Jakarta Social Agency in Kedoya, West Jakarta.
The government have repeatedly urged citizens not to give money to beggars, who are often exploited by organized criminal gangs, and that their money was better directed towards official charity organizations.
Reader Interactions