As Eid al-Fitr approaches, the practice of forcibly demanding holiday bonuses (THR) by rogue community organizations (ormas) has become widespread, causing public concern.
Some groups, under the guise of voluntary donations or annual traditions, take advantage of the festive season to demand THR from business owners and ordinary citizens.
This phenomenon is not just illegal but also reflects deeper social issues.
According to Dr. A. B. Widyanta, a sociologist from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), this practice is unjustifiable from both a social and legal perspective.
While many community organizations engage in legitimate social work, some groups use the ormas label to extort money from businesses.
“This is a form of extortion, whether done subtly through social pressure and seemingly voluntary requests, or blatantly with direct threats that compromise the security and comfort of business owners,” he said on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025.
Dr. Widyanta emphasized that businesses already have their own mechanisms and regulations regarding corporate social responsibility, making the demands from these groups illegitimate.
He explained that this phenomenon is tied to social and economic factors.
Many members of these organizations come from backgrounds of unstable or casual employment.
Economic hardship forces them to seek income in unethical ways.
Furthermore, government budget cuts exacerbate the situation.
“When regional budgets are reduced, many sources of income disappear. This significantly impacts lower-class communities who used to benefit from development projects,” Dr. Widyanta elaborated.
In a broader context, he pointed out that growing social inequality drives the rise of extortion by these groups.
He noted that elite oligarchs easily flaunt their luxurious lifestyles on social media and in public spaces, often without considering the social repercussions.
Meanwhile, many people are struggling to meet their basic needs, especially in the face of worsening economic disparity.
He argued that this phenomenon not only creates typical social jealousy but also fosters collective frustration among the lower class.
The unfair distribution of wealth and access to economic resources generates dissatisfaction, which can lead some groups to engage in deviant behavior, including extortion by the ormas.
“This situation worsens as social injustice continues unchecked, while consumerism is increasingly showcased without control,” he said.
Dr. Widyanta warned that the thuggery by the ormas cannot be allowed to persist due to its growing impact on social stability and the business environment.
He stressed that law enforcement must be applied firmly, without favoritism, and should not be hindered by political interests or connections between groups and law enforcement officers.
He asserted that while these groups are indeed extorting businesses, they represent only a tiny part of the nation’s larger systemic issue.
“What is more dangerous and has a much broader systemic impact are officials who openly tear apart the constitution for their own and their group’s interests, create unjust policies, and allow social inequality to widen,” he said emphatically.
He added that the state must step in to protect businesses from such pressures.
If these practices continue unchecked and laws are not strictly enforced, the consequences will not only affect business owners but also the wider society.
Economic costs will rise, the investment climate will deteriorate, and ultimately, social stability will be at greater risk.
Such conditions could erode public trust in the government, create prolonged economic instability, and foster widespread apathy towards the law.
Therefore, Dr. Widyanta urged the government to take decisive action by regulating community organizations that operate outside the bounds of the law and ensuring protection for business owners so they can run their businesses without fear or pressure from any group.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Lintang
Image: BBC Indonesia