Alleged Modern Slavery; Langkat Regent Mentions Prison Cells via Wife's YouTube

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The modern slavery allegedly practiced by the inactive regent of Langkat, Terbit Rencana Perangin Angin, has become the public spotlight.

It has recently been found out had Terbit had actually mentioned iron cage-shaped cells resembling prisons in his house via his wife’s YouTube channel. He said the prison cells were used to accommodate illegal drug users.

“It is not a place of rehabilitation, this is a guidance site I have built to nurture people who use illegal drugs,” said Terbit as quoted from Tiorita Rencana's YouTube channel on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. The video was uploaded on March 27, 2021.

Terbit said the coaching center was built to help people using narcotics to be free from addictive substances. “We built this place with a sincere heart and good intentions. We opine that if we help a family member who uses drugs, it’ll be the same as we help the whole family. We are really concerned about drug abuse,” he said.

Since it was founded 10 years ago, Terbit said there were approximately 2,000-3,000 patients who had been 'trained' there. Each day, they received around 100 people. Terbit also said that his wife, Tiorita Br Surbakti, provided food and took care of the health of the people caged.

Labor advocacy group Migrant Care revealed contradicting reports that the prison cells were used to confine people working in the palm plantation. Migrant Care had forwarded its findings to the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

Migrant Care head Anis Hidayat said the illegal practice had been going on for a long time. At least 40 workers were put in two prisons built in the backyard of Terbit's house and inside the house.

Read: KontraS Condemns Modern Slavery Practices By Former District Head

DEWI NURITA