Ciamis Mutilation to Suicide in Jakarta, Anxiety That Triggers Death

The Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Ciamis Police Department, Adjunct Commissioner Joko Prihatin, mentioned that TBD is currently facing financial problems. His goat trading business has slumped, even though he owes up to Rp 100 million to the bank.

“Four days before killing his wife, the perpetrator hit his head against the wall and received nine stitches. "TBD is currently still undergoing examination to reveal the perpetrator's mental condition," said Joko.

The burden of life is also suspected to have driven married couple EA (50) and AEL (52) to take their two children, JWA (13) and JL (15), to their deaths. They are said to have committed suicide by jumping from the 21st floor of the Teluk Intan Apartment in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, on Saturday (9/3/2024).

From the results of the police investigation, EA's fishing boat business went bankrupt during the pandemic. This condition makes the family's economy unstable.

It's not just TBD and EA and AEL who take out their anxiety on those closest to them. Listen to the actions of AA (29) who was determined to kill his secret lover, RM (50), in Bandung, West Java, Wednesday (24/4/2024).

The trigger was IDR 43 million. The money will be used for the perpetrator's wedding reception costs.

After killing, the perpetrator put the victim's body in a suitcase. The victim's body was then thrown away in Cikarang, Bekasi.

Initial trigger

Criminologist from Bandung Islamic University, Professor Nandang Sambas, believes that economic problems are felt very heavily by some people and are difficult to bear.

This often leads to triggering feelings of frustration and reckless actions that claim lives. The victims can be themselves or those around them.

"The problem becomes more complicated when the ability to communicate with the surrounding environment is not ideal," he said.

Nevertheless, the economy is not the sole factor. There are opportunities, and even invitations from others, that push someone to behave inappropriately, including committing crimes.

Also read: The fate of the perpetrator of wife mutilation in Ciamis, between freedom and punishment

"Crime is multifactorial and the economy usually serves as the initial trigger. It does provide the underlying basis, but there are other factors that accumulate. One of them is a desire to quickly obtain economic benefits or to avoid carrying heavy burdens," he said in Bandung on Thursday (May 9, 2024).

According to Nandang, crimes resulting from the economic conditions occurring within society are a complex issue because they have social implications. It requires not only consistent law enforcement, but also improvements in economic, social, and even political factors.

"The reality is that more and more people are being imprisoned now, but crime still exists. Enforcing the law is the same as extinguishing smoke from a burning fire. The beginning of crime needs to be stopped, in this case, by economic improvement, so that the needs of the community are fulfilled," he said.

Going forward, in the midst of an economy that is still lackluster, according to Nandang, all parties should be cautious. Moreover, anxiety and crime tend to be difficult to control in the midst of a vulnerable economy.

“Layoffs that occur can potentially increase anxiety and crime. People who usually receive a salary suddenly lose their income,” he said.

One of the issues regarding layoffs has recently occurred in West Java. The legendary shoe factory Bata closed down, leaving hundreds of workers unemployed. Kadin Jabar stated that similar issues are at risk of threatening many other factories.

The Chairman of Kadin Jabar, Cucu Sutara, stated that this condition is the result of various problems that have arisen both nationally and globally. He mentioned that it ranges from the Covid-19 pandemic to the outbreak of war in several regions.

"The closure of the Bata shoe factory in Purwakarta shows that the economic condition is not good. Its impact could spread to various things," he said during the meeting of the Regional Board of the Indonesian Export Companies Association (DPD GPEI) in Bandung on Wednesday (8/5/2024).

Also read: Bata Management: Factory Closure Has Been Through In-depth Study

The Chairman of the Central Executive Board of GPEI, Benny Soetrisno, stated that the level of anxiety in life and the level of crime in a country are related to the number of unemployment. This relationship often makes investors rethink if they want to invest their capital.

Benny stated that the unemployment rate in Indonesia is still not considered safe for investors. According to data from the Central Statistics Agency, the number of unemployed people in Indonesia reached 7.2 million as of February 2024, equivalent to 4.82 percent of the total 149.38 million workforce.

"If someone already has income from his own sweat, he certainly won't bother other people. So, I see there is a relationship between the unemployment rate and crime. If I were an investor, I would look for the lowest unemployment rates. Indonesia is still not safe. "So, it really has to be a common concern," he said.

Purchasing power

Not only are job opportunities becoming increasingly scarce, but also the purchasing power of the community remains lackluster. According to Setia Mulyawan, an economics lecturer at State Islamic University of Sunan Gunung Djati, the purchasing power of Indonesian society has not yet experienced significant growth.

BPS noted that public consumption during January-March 2024 only grew 4.91 percent. This figure is still below the economic growth rate of 5 percent or is said to be normal. Household consumption growth has indeed slowed after the Covid-19 pandemic (Kompas, 8/5/2024).

"My suspicion is that the post-pandemic economic recovery will be prolonged, especially with recent events impacting the economy and causing price hikes. Climate change affects the supply chain for domestic needs, leading to a necessity for imports. And not to mention, the global situation," said Setia.

So, this weak purchasing power could be an alarm that needs to be watched out for.

This situation, he added, will be determined by how the government makes policies. If this condition persists, social illnesses that are the implications of economic problems can continue to spread. Various alarming incidents triggered by the anxiety of the perpetrators can also continue to occur.

"The purchasing power of the community is increasing in tandem with income which drives demand. Therefore, when this income is stimulated, the consumption of the community will increase, and the turnover of the economy will also increase. So, the weakness of purchasing power can be an alarm that needs to be anticipated," he said.

The heavy economic problem is vulnerable to impacting the anxiety level of society, triggering criminality and causing innocent lives to be lost. Not everyone in this country is strong enough to endure the difficulties of living in this challenging era.

Also read: Husband Mutilates Wife in Ciamis, Perpetrator Arrears Hundreds of Millions in Business Debts