KRESNAPAKSA
Arif Hidayah, Pikiran Rakyat

In the midst of a pouring rain, the light of the motorcycle reflected on a machete with a dragon-shaped hilt as it was swung aggressively, making another rider turned his bike around and ran for his life. The damp road and the silent night made the situation even more tense.

Violence on the road seems to be the preferred display of power that has been inherited for generations. For a member of an outlaw biker gang, violence is a way to gain fear and respect amongst your enemies and comrades. It’s as if life matters little to none.

It all started in Bandung back in 1990. The four biker gangs – Moonraker, Grab on Road (GBR), Exalt to Coitus (XTC), and Brigade to Seven (Brigez) – all of which still have thousands of followers until today. Members of these biker gangs are spread throughout 25 provinces in Indonesia, the largest base being in Bandung. They swore to be eternal arch-enemies after one unforgettable incident when Rega (18), one of XTC members, was brutally murdered by members of Brigez on June 5th, 2017.

Their acts of terror are not only directed at fellow outlaw bikers; innocent citizens may also fall victim to robbery and torture committed by these bikers. Tamansari Street, which became a deserted, quiet place at midnight, is a strategic location for them to commit such crimes.

However, not all outlaw bikers spread terror. Kiki Ahmad (33), a senior gang member, wants to fix the image that precedes biker gangs by trying to be a model citizen. He does social services, charity works at the mosque, and becomes an activist for a peace movement among biker gangs along with likeminded friends. Of course, there are and will always be challenges to face in the process, but that does not discourage him to keep working on the cause.

Peace movements like Brigez Berzikir, GBR Fisabilillah, Moonraker Syariah, and XTC Syariah started to emerge. Nevertheless, the phenomenon was only a temporary trend, as some even went as far as using the movements as an excuse to declare the disbandment of biker gangs, which in 2010 officially became youth organizations.

If anything, the change only placed them in a gray area; not enough to turn over the dark, brutal nature of biker gangs that has existed for years. The peace movement agenda was only concentrated in mosques and big cities, while 33 km to the south of Bandung, many teenagers are still immersed in the tradition of conflict and violence in an attempt to seek approval from seniors and enemies. Dozens of teenagers hanging out in front of stores while drinking alcohol is a normal nighttime sight in the area.

Syaelindra Kaka (36), left behind his glory days of being a commander for ten years in a biker gang to pursue a career as a tattoo artist. At the tattoo studio where he works, the ex-outlaw biker said, “As long as there are victims and conflicts, hatred will never die out.”

Like a new moon after a full, it will always exist even though we need light to see it.