Palace: Writing History '98 Escorted By Professional Historians

Head of the Presidential Communication Office Hasan Nasbi/ANTARA PHOTO/Fauzan/app/nz

JAKARTA - Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) Hasan Nasbi asked the public not to rush into speculate regarding the process of further writing of Indonesia's history, including an important period in 1998.

Hasan said this process was being carried out by professional historians who have high credibility and will not sacrifice their academic integrity.

"This is not rewriting, but continuing the writing of Indonesian history. Maybe the last time it was written was in 1998. Since then, there has been no serious attempt to document the development of the nation's history," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, June 17.

Responding to public speculation, including statements by a number of figures such as Fadli Zon over the 1998 "mass rape" case, Hasan stressed the importance of giving experts space to work scientifically.

According to him, too many premature opinions and gossip on social media are not necessarily based, Hasan added.

"So, concerns like this might be discussed, but don't be judged all kinds of things first," he said.

Hasan explained that if there are differences of opinion or criticism, it should be conveyed by parties who have authority and capacity in the history sector, not based on speculation or a popular narrative that has not been verified.

"So, we'll see first what they write. If we already have the official draft, then we will correct it together," he said.

The government through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology is currently compiling a continuation of the narrative of national history, including important post-reformation phases. This process is said to involve historians from various institutional backgrounds and scientific approaches.