Usman Hamid Asks For Allegations Of Corruptors Funding The 'Illicit Indonesia' Movement Evidenced

Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia Usman Hamid. (ANTARA PHOTO/Dheemas Reviyanto/dok)

JAKARTA - Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, urged allegations of corruptors Funding the 'Illicit Indonesia' movement to be proven.

This was conveyed by Usman in response to President Prabowo Subianto's statement while attending the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Congress in Solo, Central Java, Sunday, July 20.

The former defense minister said the narrative that led to the demonstration was funded by corruptors.

"I myself challenge the TNI Headquarters and the Palace to prove whether it is true that Dark Indonesia is masterminded or funded by corruptors," said Usman at an event at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia, Salemba, Central Jakarta, Monday, July 21.

Usman considered Prabowo's statement to be serious and had to be proven. This is because the accusations seem to demean the student and civil movements in the country, which often voice their actions.

"The Dark Indonesia Movement, Corruption Reform, Emergency Indonesia, Emergency Warning and others are all pure student activities and all of them are pure student activities and a number of activists in civil society organizations," he said.

Moreover, the allegation is also considered unclear if it is only based on a video of a lawyer named Marcella Santoso who is involved in the corruption case of the export of crude palm oil (CPO) at the Attorney General's Office.

It is known that some time ago the Attorney General's Office had shown a video of Marcella's apology claiming to create a negative narrative regarding Attorney General ST Burhanuddin and President Prabowo Subianto. However, he denied making negative content about the revision of the TNI Law to Dark Indonesia.

"Actually, it is not clear what is meant by providing funds to people in the Dark Indonesia movement. It was concluded that Tetatpi was in a hurry by the Prosecutor's Information Center and was followed by the Information Center of the TNI Headquarters as if the Dark Indonesia Movement was a movement that was not pure but masterminded, funded by people involved in corruption cases," explained Usman.

"What does palm oil corruption have to do with the TNI Bill. I think the accusation is a serious accusation," he continued.

President Prabowo in his speech at the PSI Congress accused corruptors of moving the Dark Indonesia action some time ago. However, he believes that the public can give an assessment in the end.

"The Indonesian people have arrested who is the right leader and who is not right. Indeed, there was a business earlier, had technology, used money, used social media, paid experts, criticized, brought pessimism to life. I was shaking my head. There were people who played smart people, played leaders, but what was spread was pessimism," Prabowo said at the time.

"Indonesia is dark, just run away. Just run away. It's easy for you to be there, abroad? Where are you? You're being chased there," continued the former Danjen Kopassus.

Furthermore, Prabowo then said the movement was engineered. He believes that there are parties who want a commotion in Indonesia, one of which is corruptors.

Because, Prabowo said, the corruptors wanted Indonesia to always be noisy so they could take the gap.

"Yes, these corruptors are the ones who finance the demonstrations. Indonesia is dark, Indonesia is dark. Sorry, Indonesia is bright. Indonesia's future is bright. I have seen the numbers, our wealth is extraordinary, we just have to manage it or not, we just have to be brave or not."