DPR Says Terror to UGM BEM Chairman is a Practice of Censorship

Member of Commission X of the House of Representatives, Hilman Mufidi, regretted the act of terror against the Chairman of the Gadjah Mada University Student Executive Board (BEM UGM) Yogyakarta, Tiyo Ardianto, after voicing out the case of a suicide child in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

According to him, the terror is an attempt to practice gagging students.

"The act of terror against Tiyo's sister, the head of the UGM BEM, is certainly not appropriate. I really regret that action, it is the same as the practice of gagging," Hilman told reporters, Friday, February 13.

Hilman also urged the police to thoroughly investigate who was behind the act of terror against Tiyo. According to him, Tiyo's voice is a manifestation of freedom of opinion and is protected by law.

"I ask the police to thoroughly investigate who was in the act of terror against Tiyo's sister. However, Tiyo's voice is a manifestation of openness, a manifestation of freedom of opinion that must be respected," said the PKB legislator.

Hilman also reminded all parties to refrain from any dynamics that occur, including related to the case of the suicide of an elementary school child in NTT.

"Everyone must be sad, I am also very concerned about what our children in NTT are experiencing, but dealing with it also requires openness of heart, thinking power, and every criticism of the handling of the case must be dealt with wisely, not even with terror," he concluded.

Previously, the Chairman of the UGM BEM, Tiyo Ardianto, received terror after protesting the government of President Prabowo Subianto who failed to guarantee the basic rights of children due to the tragedy of a child committing suicide in East Nusa Tenggara.

Tiyo received a threatening WhatsApp message from a number with a four-digit English code four days after BEM criticized Prabowo.

In addition to the threat of kidnapping, the intimidators also sent messages accusing Tiyo of being a foreign agent and looking for a stage. "Foreign agents. Don't look for a stage to sell garbage narratives," the message read.