Sering PHP ke Konsumen Umroh, First Travel Resmi Ditutup OJK

Summary

The transcript discusses the closure of First Anugerah Karya Wisata (First Travel) by the Financial Services Authority (OJK) due to failed Umrah pilgrimages and fraudulent practices. The company had been offering discounted Umrah packages significantly lower than the market rate, which led to financial instability. Over 400 pilgrims were stranded in hotels, awaiting departures that never occurred. Despite warnings from OJK and legal pressure, First Travel's management has promised to either refund or send the affected pilgrims to Umrah. Many agents who recruited new clients for First Travel are also facing accountability for the company’s failures.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has closed the operations of PT First Anugerah Karya, also known as First Travel, due to their involvement in failed Umrah pilgrimages.
• 😀 First Travel is prohibited from collecting funds from the public after being implicated in multiple cases of failed Umrah trips.
• 😀 The company offered discounted Umrah packages for as low as IDR 14.3 million, significantly lower than the usual cost of around IDR 21-22 million, which raised concerns from OJK.
• 😀 To cover the remaining funds for past clients, First Travel sought new customers for their low-cost Umrah packages.
• 😀 On May 22, over 400 potential pilgrims from Madura, Jember, and Sidoarjo were stranded at three hotels near Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after their departure was delayed for 10 days.
• 😀 Many passengers from Surabaya, who booked with the same travel agency, also requested refunds due to delayed departures.
• 😀 The OJK and First Travel reached an agreement to ensure that approximately 25,000 registered Umrah pilgrims would be departed, with a portion requesting refunds.
• 😀 The OJK gave First Travel a deadline of 1 to 3 months to refund affected customers, with a commitment to depart 5,000 to 7,000 pilgrims per month between November and December 2017.
• 😀 First Travel was warned by OJK in July 2017 for its operations, particularly the misleading 'promo package' priced at IDR 14.3 million, which was deemed unsustainable.
• 😀 Despite these challenges, First Travel agents continued to recruit new customers, promising that they would still be sent to the Holy Land for Umrah, while also offering refunds to those who requested it.

Q & A

What led to the closure of PT First Anugerah Karya Wisata (First Travel)?

The closure of PT First Anugerah Karya Wisata (First Travel) was due to issues with their operations, particularly involving failed umrah departures. The company was also found to have been offering discounted umrah packages at prices much lower than the normal cost, which led to concerns about their financial practices.

What specific actions did the Financial Services Authority (OJK) take against First Travel?

The OJK, through its Investment Alert Task Force, stopped First Travel from collecting funds from the public. This included halting their promotion of umrah packages priced at Rp14.3 million, far below the standard costs of Rp21 to Rp22 million, and suspected of being subsidized through new registrants' payments.

How did the cheap umrah packages offered by First Travel raise concerns?

The extremely low-priced umrah packages raised concerns because they were below the official cost of umrah, which was set by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs at around Rp21 million. The OJK suspected that First Travel was subsidizing these packages by using funds from new customers, creating a financial imbalance.

What happened to the 400 potential umrah pilgrims from Madura, Jember, and Sidoarjo?

These 400 potential umrah pilgrims were stranded at three hotels near Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after their departure was delayed. They had initially been promised departure dates in May but ended up being stuck for 10 days without any solution, leading to their cancellation.

How did the OJK respond to the issue of delayed umrah departures?

The OJK issued a warning to First Travel to ensure the refund of funds to the affected customers within 1 to 3 months. For those who chose not to request refunds, First Travel was required to ensure their departure by September 2017, with a specific plan to send 5,000 to 7,000 pilgrims per month.

What was the agreement between First Travel and the OJK regarding the pilgrims who had already registered?

First Travel agreed to take responsibility for sending the registered pilgrims to Mecca. They committed to ensuring that about 25,000 pilgrims would eventually be sent, with a focus on prioritizing those who had already paid but had yet to depart.

How did First Travel attempt to cover their financial shortfall caused by the low-priced umrah packages?

To cover the financial shortfall from the discounted packages, First Travel attempted to attract new pilgrims by offering the same low-priced umrah deals, relying on payments from new registrants to fund the departure of previous customers.

What role did independent agents play in promoting First Travel's services?

Independent agents, known as 'mandiri agents,' helped promote and recruit new customers for First Travel by offering the discounted packages. Some agents had previously traveled with First Travel and then recommended it to others, despite the growing issues with the company.

What was the reaction of 'mandiri agents' to the situation with First Travel?

Many 'mandiri agents' expressed concern over the situation and the delay in sending pilgrims. They were under pressure from the people they had recruited to either ensure they were sent for umrah or provide a refund, leading to meetings with First Travel's management to seek resolution.

What impact did the OJK's actions have on First Travel's operational transparency?

The OJK's actions significantly disrupted First Travel's operations, leading to a lack of transparency regarding the company's financial practices. There were also delays in communication and no clear solutions provided for the affected pilgrims, further undermining public trust.