Five customs officers released after border dispute and Rp 655 million settlement

Mediation and payment terms

The Bengkayang regent led the mediation at the regent's office, with talks beginning around 9:30 a.m. WIB on Nov. 3, according to detikKalimantan. Customs officials and community representatives attended alongside the police chiefs of Sambas and Bengkayang and the Bengkayang district military commander.

By about 12:30 p.m. WIB, the parties had agreed to resolve the dispute through customary mechanisms on a kinship basis, known as kekeluargaan. The five officers were then returned.

Signed minutes reported by detikKalimantan divided the settlement into Rp 155 million in customary sanctions, or sanksi adat, and Rp 500 million in "humanitarian costs," or biaya kemanusiaan. The agreement allowed no more than two weeks from Nov. 3 for payment and specified a double penalty if the first party missed the deadline.

The document identified the first party as Hendri Levi Sunarta, 52, a civil servant at the West Kalimantan regional office of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise. Michael, a 38-year-old self-employed businessman, was named as the second party. It recorded that the Benua Palayo customary authority and the Bengkayang regency government mediated the case, and that the first party acknowledged all actions taken against the second party.

Baggage checks lead to confrontation

The dispute began Monday at the Aruk State Border Crossing Post, also known as PLBN Aruk, in Sambas regency near the Malaysian border. At about 2:30 p.m., four travelers reportedly belonging to the Dayak community in neighboring Bengkayang regency arrived to cross into Malaysia.

Having cleared immigration, they were sent for customs baggage checks. Three refused inspection while one consented, leading to an argument with customs officers. All four subsequently left without continuing their trip.

By roughly 5 p.m., about 100 residents reportedly connected to the travelers had gathered to seek out the officers involved. A chronology compiled by detikKalimantan said the crowd came from Bengkayang and Landak regencies. They searched the post but could not locate the officers they wanted.

At approximately 7:45 p.m., members of the crowd forcibly took five officers still at the post to Bengkayang, roughly 100 kilometers away.

Officers identified; police dispute hostage description

KalbarOnline identified the five as Boy Haris Bambang Purwadi, Reza Rizki Wahyu Pradana, Pillar Pitoyo, Kiki Shihabudin Marshanda and Sulistyo Wahyu Tri Atmojo. Its compiled chronology said residents took them as a guarantee of accountability, or jaminan, and to undergo a customary procession in Bengkayang.

Speaking to media on Nov. 3, Sambas police chief AKBP Sanny Handityo rejected descriptions of the officers as hostages. He said residents had taken them so they would participate in mediation.

Footage shared on social media appeared to depict members of the crowd stripping and assaulting one customs officer. The Jakarta Post said it could not independently establish whether the footage was authentic or verify its context.

Aruk services suspended the next day

On Wednesday, Nov. 4, the day after the settlement, the border post operator announced on its official social media account that operational services at Aruk were temporarily suspended, Kompas.com reported. It also withdrew an earlier notice saying operations had returned to normal.

At the time of that report, the reason for the suspension and its expected duration remained unconfirmed. Sanny said he was not yet aware of the closure.