JAKARTA - Minister of Human Rights (HAM) Natalius Pigai emphasized that the Indonesian National Police needed to make self-corrections through the mainstreaming of human rights, following the viral apology from the Sukatani music group regarding the song Pay Pay Payment. The song highlighted the issue of illegal levies allegedly involving the police and became a widespread topic of conversation on social media.
Pigai reminded that President Prabowo Subianto had emphasized the importance of institutional corrections in the TNI/Polri Leadership Meeting (Rapim) on January 30, 2025. Therefore, he assessed that the Police must follow up on the President's directives with concrete steps in internal improvements.
"Substantial corrections must be carried out by the police institution as emphasized by President Prabowo Subianto during the TNI/Polri Rapim. The President's statement must be followed up with concrete steps," said Pigai in Jakarta, Saturday, February 22.
As part of efforts to improve, the Ministry of Human Rights is committed to continuing to mainstream human rights values in all government agencies, both at the central and regional levels, including the Police.
Staf Saya darı Kanwil Jawa Tengah akan cek kebenaran infomasi jika benar dipecat karena sebagai Vokalis Sukatani maka kami akan menolak karena Pemerintah konsisten memastikan perlindungan dan penghormatan HAM setiap warga negara Indonesia. (Sukatani dan Kepolisian - sudah minta… pic.twitter.com/gbz5ghsyWg
— NataliusPigai (@NataliusPigai2) February 22, 2025
My staff from the Central Java Regional Office will check the truth of the information if they are fired because they are Sukatani vocalists, then we will refuse because the Government consistently ensures the protection and respect for human rights of every Indonesian citizen. (Sukatani and the Police have asked... pic.twitter.com/gbz5ghsyWg
Pigai emphasized that Human Rights cannot be limited arbitrarily, except based on clear legal provisions. He referred to Siracusa's Principle which states that restrictions on freedom of expression can only be carried out through laws or court decisions.
"People have the right to express art, including through music. Restrictions can only be done if the content submitted violates the nation's morality, such as pornography or defamation that damages individual honor and national integrity," he explained.
Personally, Pigai considers that freedom of art must be respected as long as it does not contain elements of anonymity or baseless accusations.
In a tweet on his personal social media account, @nataliuspigai2, Pigai revealed that he had instructed the Ministry of Human Rights staff to investigate the truth of information regarding the dismissal of Sukatani vocalist from his work due to the controversy over the song.
"If it is true that he was fired because he is the vocalist of Sukatani, then we will reject this action because the Government consistently ensures the protection and respect for human rights of every Indonesian citizen," he wrote on platform X.
Pigai also opened space for Sukatani vocalists or related parties to report the alleged dismissal directly to the Office of the Ministry of Human Rights for the Central Java Region or the Head Office of the Ministry of Human Rights.
Sukatani music group was in the spotlight after their song entitled Pay Pay Payment went viral on social media. The song satirizes allegations of extortion practices in various police service sectors, ranging from SIM processing, ticketing, to other legal cases.
In an upload on the @sukatani.band Instagram account on Thursday, February 20, the band guitarist, Alectroguy, apologized to the National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo and the National Police institution.
"We apologize profusely to the National Police Chief and the National Police for our song by entitled Pay Pay Pay, whose lyrics call 'pay the police'. We actually created this song for police officers who violated the regulations," Alectroguy said in a video uploaded on Instagram.
The lyrics of songs circulating on social media alluded to various forms of alleged extortion, including:
"Want to make a SIM, pay the Ketilang police on the road, pay the Touring police a big motorbike, pay the Angkot police to check it, pay the police"
"Oh my, I don't have money to pay the police"
"Want to make gigs, pay the police Report lost goods, pay the police to go to prison, pay the police to get out of prison, pay the police"
"Oh my, I don't have money to pay the police"
"Want to be corrupt, pay the police Want to installment the house, pay the police Want to fight the forest, pay the police Want to be the police, pay the police"
"Oh my, I don't have money to pay the police"
This song sparked debate in society, with some supporting criticism delivered, while others considered it a form of generalization that could damage the image of the Police as a whole.
Sukatani's apology sparked speculation about the pressure on them, especially after news emerged that the band's vocalist was fired from work.
Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai's statement highlighted the importance of mainstreaming human rights in police institutions increasing the new dimension in this debate. With the commitment conveyed by the Ministry of Human Rights, it is hoped that this case can be a momentum for the Police to reflect and strengthen reforms within the institution.
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