Three newspaper journalists in Bekasi were the target of a beating by an angry mob after they supposedly trying to blackmail a man in Rawa Lumbu, Bekasi yesterday evening.
According to Warta Kota, the three journalists – Jos, Tarigan and Tobing – said it all began when they caught 38-year-old man Habib walking out of a hotel in East Bekasi, presumably after committing an act of adultery.
The journalists confronted Habib and told him he had to pay them Rp 70 million or they would spread the news about his infidelity. At the time, Habib could only give them Rp 1 million.
The trio then tried to force Habib to give them the amount that they asked. Irritated, Habib said he’d have to go home to get the money and told the journalists to wait around outside his house.
After making them wait, Habib returned, but not with the Rp 70 million. Instead, he brought with him friends and neighbors who were also incensed by the blackmail attempt. The angry mob then gave the journalists a beating. It could have escalated even further if it wasn’t for the arrival of patrolling policemen who happened to drive past the area at the right time.
The sad reality is that blackmail and extortion are common practices among journalists in Indonesia, but you can rest easy it you know you have a violent mob you can call upon to help you fight it.
