Coordinating Minister For Political, Legal And Security Affairs: Message From The President, Do Not Be Overly Sensible

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD while serving questions from journalists at the Kemenkopolhukam Office (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD asked law enforcement officers not to be aggressive in taking legal action against the public, especially those related to the spread of hoaxes or fake news.

"The President's message, don't be overly sensible. There is anything being arrested, anything is being tried," Mahfud said while attending an event organized by the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) which was broadcast on YouTube, Tuesday, June 23.

He is concerned about the many perpetrators who spread hoaxes containing lies and SARA. Even so, the former head of the Constitutional Court (MK) emphasized that there should be no aggressive action by the authorities in handling this problem.

He also considered that not all hoaxes could be dealt with by law. According to him, if the violation committed was only spreading false content, then the perpetrator was sufficiently supervised and there was no need to take excessive legal action.

"There is anything being arrested, there is anything on trial. People want webinars to be banned. No need to. Just let it go, said the President. We don't want seminars to keep being slandered. Do you want a seminar, like it or not, just be supervised if it violates outside laws. usual, "he said.

Mahfud said the police could take action against a discussion. Provided, the criminal act committed has a big impact. If it is limited to spreading hoaxes, he said, it should be monitored or even left alone.

"If it's just making light hoaxes, well, people are joking, so let it be," he said.

He added that law enforcement officers in Indonesia must be familiar with the term restorative justice. He said, restorative justice is an act of breaking the law which is done to strengthen other laws.

"So let something (act against the law) so as not to get rowdy. Law as a tool to build harmony. So, violation of the law that does not really bother the community, please resolve it carefully," said Mahfud.

"So I talk in the context of hoaxes, seminars, campaign people, talk straightened out but use a more humane approach. Don't be overly sensible," he concluded.