The issue of illegal fees, in Bahasa Indonesia commonly known as “pungutan liar” or “pungli,” at tourist destinations has become a trending topic after a foreign content creator, @hamishnewtonvesty, shared a parody video on social media on Sunday, February 23, 2025.
In the video, a person is seen demanding an entrance fee from a tourist.
“Hey sir, sir, sir! Hello, sir! You must pay an entrance fee, 10,000,” the person says in English.
“What do you mean? Why? This is a public beach,” the foreign tourist replies.
Instead of providing an explanation, the person demanding the fee simply holds out their hand for the money. “Where is my ticket?” asks the tourist. “Oh no, no ticket needed. It’s fine,” the fee collector responds.
Shortly after, another individual approaches the same tourist and demands money.
“Hey boss, hey boss, parking fee, 10,000,” says the second person.
“I just paid that guy,” the tourist replies.
“I don’t know that person. Pay 10,000,” the second fee collector insists.
At the end of the video, the two individuals meet up, count the money, and mockingly say, “Stupid foreigner.”
This video, which was reposted by multiple accounts on X, has sparked outrage among netizens.
“Foreign tourists are already familiar with these illegal charges. This is embarrassing for our country,” commented one user.
Previous Cases of Illegal Fees
This is not the first time illegal fee collection has gained attention on social media. Earlier this month, another case went viral involving a tourist bus group that was forced to pay unauthorized fees at a restaurant in Bandung, West Java.
The incident was first shared by TikTok user @muffinpoppin, whose account has since been set to private. However, the video had already been widely shared across multiple social media platforms.
According to the user, their bus was suddenly stopped and offered a so-called “escort service.”
“We politely declined, but they still ‘escorted’ us anyway,” the user wrote.
In the video, two individuals on a motorcycle can be seen following the bus.
“When we arrived at our destination, we asked, ‘How much?’ They said, ‘Whatever you feel like giving.’ We gave them $3, but they said they weren’t alone and needed more.”
Later, when the group attempted to leave, they were blocked because they hadn’t paid.
“We tried giving them $3, but they refused. Then we gave them $6, and finally, they let us go,” the user recounted, as quoted by Liputan6.com.
Illegal Fee in Three Regions
The Department of Tourism and Culture of Bangka Regency has received five reports of illegal fee collection at various tourist attractions. These reports mainly involve unauthorized entrance fees, parking charges, and fees for visiting different spots within the same tourist area.
West Java also faces similar issues, where many tourist buses are stopped and forced to pay illegal fees under the guise of “escort services” to attractions.
Additionally, reports of corruption through illegal charges have surfaced at Tanjung Pallette, Bone. One visitor claimed they were asked to pay an entrance fee via the QRIS payment system to a personal account. There were also instances where group tickets were overpriced.
Government Initiative
These illegal fees cases are widespread across many Indonesian tourist destinations, driven by irresponsible individuals.
To address the issue, The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with other government bodies, has established a task force to tackle illegal fee collection.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the ministry and law enforcement to strengthen efforts against these unauthorized charges.
Cooperation between local tourism departments and regional police is crucial in implementing these measures.
“We are coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance to ensure proper action is taken. We want this agreement to be formally documented as the basis for further collaboration,” said Rizki Handayani Mustafa, Deputy for Industry and Investment at the Ministry of Tourism, as quoted by Antaranews.com.
She also emphasized the importance of involving tourism business associations such as the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) and the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) in efforts to eliminate illegal fees at tourist destinations.
Additionally, law enforcement and educational programs are essential to raise public awareness about the negative impacts of illegal fee collection and how to prevent it.
Hariyanto, Deputy for Destination Development and Infrastructure at the Ministry of Tourism, previously stated that a lack of understanding about sustainable tourism is a key factor behind the persistence of illegal fees.
He stressed the need for strict law enforcement and community education to tackle the issue.
“A concrete step is to strengthen cooperation with law enforcement agencies, especially the police, to enhance existing measures,” he concluded.
Sources: Liputan6.com, rri.co.id, detiknews.com, enewsindonesia.com, cnnindonesia.com, antaranews.com
Photo Credit: via TMII
