JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The motor vehicle financing industry confirms that the majority of vehicle enforcement cases by field debt collectors, often referred to as "eagle eyes" (matel), do not occur due to unilateral repossession of debtors who are still active. Based on data and experience from industry players, more than 95 percent of vehicles found and prosecuted on the road have actually transferred ownership to third parties even though the vehicle's loan status has not been fully paid. This fact is key to understanding why the practice of tracking vehicles in public spaces continues to occur, and also explains the root of conflicts that often lead to riots on the streets.
On the other hand, the widespread use of digital vehicle tracking applications by unscrupulous debt collectors has raised new issues, ranging from personal data security, potential violations of the Personal Data Protection Law (PDP Law), to the legal limits of debt collection practices.
Vehicles Sold While on Loan: One director of a leasing company, Ronald (not his real name), explained that the phenomenon of selling vehicles while still on loan has become a structural problem that has continued to grow in recent years.
"It's important to understand that more than 95 percent of these executions occur because the vehicle is no longer in the hands of the debtor, but in the hands of a third party," Ronald said when contacted by Kompas.com on Monday (December 22, 2025).
"These third parties are often more aggressive in the field. Meanwhile, the debtor no longer feels they have any obligations," he continued. He explained that the sale of motor vehicles using only a Vehicle Registration Certificate (STNK) without a Motor Vehicle Ownership Certificate (BPKB) is rampant on various social media channels. As a result, vehicles change hands, installments are stopped, the debtor's address is no longer valid, and the financing company loses communication with the original borrower. "The vehicle is still on credit, but it's simply sold. This is against the law. When it's later searched and found, the owner feels like a victim. Yet, the root of the problem lies in the illegal sale," he said.
Impact on Credit Policy: Increasingly Strict This phenomenon has had a direct impact on financing policy. Ronald stated that throughout 2025, financing companies will significantly tighten credit approvals.
"Previously, seven or eight out of ten applications would be approved, but now maybe only four or five. Surveys are stricter, and verification is more detailed," he said. The goal is not only to reduce non-performing loans, but also to prevent the speculative practice of buying vehicles for resale when installments are still underway. A knock-on effect of this policy is the increasingly limited access for the public to access vehicle financing.
Despite the problem of non-performing loans, Ronald emphasized that the collection process must still comply with the regulations of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, and must not disrupt public order. "Official debt collectors must have a power of attorney, a fiduciary certificate, an SPPI (Indonesian Financing Professional Certification), and act politely. If there is no legal basis and they resort to intimidation, that is clearly wrong," he said. He differentiated between official debt collectors who operate based on power of attorney and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and individuals or fake debt collectors who use data to carry out unilateral executions.
"If you invite them to the police station and they stammer, that's a sign that something isn't right," Ronald said. The Matel Application and the Digital Collection Ecosystem Amidst these issues, Kompas.com discovered the existence of a digital application used by some field agents to identify delinquent vehicles. One application observed to have an extensive database is an application labeled "Dewa Matel," which functions as a vehicle search tool based on license plate numbers.
Kompas.com's observations of this application indicate that the system allows for quick vehicle searches by simply entering part or all of the license plate number. The data displayed includes the vehicle type, financing company, and technical details such as chassis and engine numbers. The application relies on a regularly updated local database, allowing it to remain usable even with limited internet connections.
Access to the application is limited through paid accounts, with restrictions on operational areas and account validity periods. However, the fact that such an application is publicly accessible raises significant questions about the origin of the data and the legality of its processing. Cyber ​​Observer: Violation of the Personal Data Protection Law Cybersecurity observer Alfons Tanujaya believes that the Matel application clearly violates the Personal Data Protection Law. "Vehicle data—license plates, chassis numbers, engine numbers, owner names, and financing institutions—is all personal data. Simply entering the license plate number can retrieve the data. From a privacy perspective, this is a violation," Alfons said when contacted on Friday (December 19).