Samarinda Police Name 4 Suspected Students In The Case Of 27 Molotov Bombs

Samarinda Police Chief Kombes Hendri Umar accompanied by Vice Chancellor III Unmul Prof Bahzar during a press conference on the Molotov cocktail case, held in Samarinda, Wednesday (3/9/2025). ANTARA/HO-Cintia Ramadhani.

Samarinda City Police (Polresta), East Kalimantan named four students as suspects in the case of ownership and plan to use 27 Molotov cocktails allegedly used in demonstrations.

"We have named four students with the initials MZ (19), MH (21), MA (20), and AR (21) as suspects," said Samarinda Police Chief Kombes Hendri Umar as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 3.

The four suspects were detained in the Campus of the Faculty of Teachers and Education (FKIP) Mulawarman University (Unmul), Jalan Banggeris, Samarinda, on Sunday (31/8) night at around 23.45 WITA.

From the hands of the suspects, the police confiscated evidence in the form of 27 bottles of ready-to-use Molotov glass, two firecrackers, large and small scissors, dozens of perca cloth as an axis, as well as attributes bearing the sickle of sickles identical to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Based on the results of the initial investigation, Hendri explained that the homemade explosives were prepared for use in a demonstration held in front of the East Kalimantan Provincial DPRD building on Monday (1/9).

The suspects have different roles, ranging from moving raw materials, assembling, to hiding the Molotov cocktails.

Currently, the police are still developing to hunt down other parties suspected of playing a role as providers of raw materials.

The police chief emphasized that his party was acting decisively against anyone who tried to disrupt the stability of city security. He ensured that the authorities would be present to ensure that the delivery of aspirations could take place peacefully without sacrificing public security.

"Submitting opinions is a right guaranteed by law, but if you have used anarchic methods, especially with the material that triggers damage, then it is a serious crime," said Hendri.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chancellor III of Mulawarman University (Unmul) Professor Moh Bahzar expressed his appreciation to the Samarinda Police who managed to anticipate this before causing casualties.

"We can't imagine what would happen if the Molotov cocktail was used in the action. Thank God this was prevented," said Prof Bahzar.

The university, he continued, fully handed over the legal process to the police and respected the legal status set if the students were found guilty.

However, the university will provide legal assistance through the Faculty of Unmul Law.

Prof Bahzar also emphasized the importance for the police to reveal the mastermind behind the actions involving his students.

According to him, Unmul has been known for its humanist and non-anarchism demonstrations.