Bocor Alus Tempo Journalist's Car Vandalized, Motive Unclear

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hussein Abri Dongoran, a journalist for Tempo Media Group and host of the YouTube political podcast "Bocor Alus Politik," reported the vandalism of his car to the South Jakarta Police on August 6, 2024, along with the Tempo Media Group's legal team.

Chronology

The incident occurred on the evening of August 5 on the U-turn road of Jalan Pattimura, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, behind the Indonesian Police Headquarters. Hussein was returning home after meeting a source at Senayan City Mall when he heard a loud noise from behind his car around 09:50 p.m. Jakarta time (WIB). 

Though he suspected someone hit his car, he saw no vehicles in his rearview mirror and only noticed two motorcyclists heading towards Senayan. Due to the darkness, he continued driving and parked on Jalan Senjaya near the National Police Museum.

He found his car's rear window shattered and decided to return to the scene. Security officers at the nearby Ministry of Public Works and Housing building confirmed the absence of CCTV cameras pointed towards the location.

Tempo Editor-in-Chief Setri Yasra stated the police report aimed to identify the perpetrator and motive. The vandalism which does not appear to be a robbery attempt raises concerns about potential intimidation against Hussein for his journalistic activities. 

“The police investigation should shed light on this incident,” Yasra said. “We hope to determine if this is a criminal act or an act of journalist intimidation.”

Police Investigate

The South Jakarta Police's Criminal Investigation Unit and Inafis (Automatic Fingerprint Identification System) team responded swiftly. Several investigators conducted a crime scene investigation (TKP) on the afternoon of August 6 or several hours after receiving a report, examining the shattered rear window and broken fragments. 

At approximately 5:30 p.m., four officers examined Hussein's vehicle on Jalan Raden Fatah, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. The inspection revealed a shattered rear window and broken fragments, with some damage extending to the left and right corner windows.

“Police officers believe the car window was broken by fragments of spark plugs,” Hussein stated. Spark plugs are engine components commonly used to break car windows.

Following the initial inspection, the South Jakarta Police team walked approximately 50 meters to the U-turn area on Jalan Pattimura, located behind the Indonesian Police Headquarters and opposite the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. They searched the area for CCTV cameras but found none. 

According to Arcgis.com, the closest CCTV cameras were located in Raden Saleh Park and on Jalan Pattimura near the Ministry's As-Salam Mosque. While these cameras are close to the scene, it remains unclear whether they captured the incident. The ongoing investigation aims to determine if the footage provides any leads and discover the motive behind the vandalism.

Bocor Alus Politik

Airing every Saturday at 11 a.m. on YouTube, "Bocor Alus Politik" serves as a companion piece to Tempo Magazine's Sunday edition. The podcast introduces articles scheduled for publication, offering listeners a sneak peek into the magazine's content. Hussein, a prominent political journalist for Tempo's National desk, frequently writes cover stories on political issues.

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