PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Regional Secretary of West Java Province, who is also the Daily Chair of the Executive Board of the Al Jabbar Grand Mosque, Herman Suryatman, directly checked all areas of the mosque after the incident of illegal levies a few days ago.

"I was assigned by the Acting Governor of West Java to cross-check the condition of the Al Jabbar Grand Mosque where illegal levies occurred the other day. I went around all the outside areas to check what homework needs to be completed," said Herman Suryatman in Bandung City, Tuesday (16/ 4/2024).

After carrying out the inspection, Herman and related parties immediately held a meeting to comprehensively evaluate the management of the Al Jabbar Grand Mosque.

He said that these evaluations were short term, medium term and long term.

In the short term, Herman confirmed that starting Monday (15/4), there will be no more illegal fees in parking areas, forced sales of plastic bags, and extra fees to pay for odong-odong transportation.

"In the short term, we ensured that starting yesterday there would be no more illegal levies in the parking area and footwear storage area because they are very prone to extortion, also in the odong-odong transportation area," he stressed.

"So we have anticipated that there will be no extortion in these three areas. Of course for all areas, but the most crucial ones are parking, footwear storage and transportation," added Herman.

He has communicated directly with the odong-odong management and asked for their commitment not to raise prices arbitrarily for visitors.

"I also communicated with the odong-odong coordinator here, I asked the person concerned to uphold their commitment, there should be no coercion, for example going around here for Rp. 5,000, then in the end it will be Rp. 10,000," he said.

Apart from that, it has also been agreed that the sale of plastic for footwear should not occur.

"It has also been agreed that plastic is not permitted and yesterday we arrested the person selling the plastic. So there is no sale of plastic because we have provided a place for storage unless people bring their own, yes, please," said Herman.

Meanwhile, the parking area is managed by a third party, namely Primkopti Kartika. Herman said that his party had asked Primkopti Kartika to be responsible for management and ensure that no other parties could infiltrate because of the potential for illegal levies.

"As we know, the parking area is in collaboration with Primkopti Kartika. We have reminded that party to be responsible and ensure that no other party can infiltrate here and then make illegal levies," he said.

From the results of the investigation, the levies in the parking area several days ago were carried out by irresponsible people who were not local residents or part of Primkopti Kartika.

"We confirm that the perpetrators of extortion, both in the parking area and those selling plastic bags by force, are not local residents or our partners, but are individuals from outside who take advantage of the high number of visits to Al Jabbar," said Herman.

The perpetrators of this extortion have now been warned and trained.

Herman confirmed that if illegal levies happen again, his party will not hesitate to report it to the police.

"We have trained and reminded the person concerned not to do it again. If we are caught again, we will report it to the police," he stressed.

Herman added that a medium-term management evaluation is currently being prepared with the aim of ensuring that congregants and visitors can feel comfortable, safe and calm when visiting the Al Jabbar Grand Mosque.

Meanwhile, in the long term there will be a comprehensive evaluation, including institutional ones.

He said that improving the management of Al Jabbar must be comprehensive, comprehensive and not partial.

"In the long term, we will evaluate, including institutional matters, because improving the management of Al Jabbar must be comprehensive, thorough, and cannot be partial. Of course it takes time, but our priority in the short term is that the community is safe, comfortable, no extortion, that's all for now," concluded Herman.