KPAI Commissioner: People Watching Saiful Jamil Just Tolerate Child Abuse

Saipul Jamil (@saipuljamilreal)

JAKARTA - Commissioner of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) Retno Listyarti asked the public not to watch television or YouTube shows featuring Saiful Jamil in their programs.

It is known, Saiful Jamil is a former convict in cases of child abuse or pedophilia and bribes court clerks.

"To the public, we don't have to watch (Saiful Jamil). When he appears on television or Youtube, just change the channel," said Retno in the Retno Listyarti Journal Youtube program, Sunday, September 5.

Retno considers that if people continue to watch Saiful Jamil on entertainment shows, then it is the same as a form of support for the child molestation committed by the dangdut singer.

"People who continue to watch are tantamount to tolerating child abuse. Let's be smart viewers and care about child protection," said Retno.

Moreover, according to her, in the absence of viewers from the show featuring Saiful Jamil, the program will not sell. Thus, television stations and Youtube accounts no longer broadcast programs featuring Saiful Jamil.

"If people don't watch, then he doesn't sell well in the entertainment world, doesn't sell well on YouTube. Because he's a public figure who can really influence them. Even though his track record is not good, namely committing molestation to children and giving bribes," explained Retno.

Retno also asked the media and Youtubers to realize that the screening of Saiful Jamil is a form of support for perpetrators of child molestation. Then, if the media had to create news on Saiful Jamil, Retno asked to emphasize that the person in question had had a legal case.

"I urge the world of entertainment and television, news, this not to give the space it should. This should be boycotted. If the media doesn't boycott, there will still be people watching. The media should also have a child protection perspective," said Retno.

"Even if he is reported, there is an emphasis in reporting, namely remembering his track record that the person concerned has committed sexual immorality to a child and has become a punishment but is proven to have molested the child earlier," she continued.

For information, Saiful Jamil's legal case began when he invited the victim with the initials DS to spend the night at his residence. Saiful Jamil asked DS to massage him.

Then, DS was invited to commit indecent acts. DS then refused. However, at 04.00 local time, while DS was asleep, Saiful Jamil secretly committed sexual harassment to DS. DS reported this incident to the police. Saiful Jamil was initially sentenced to 3 years in prison.

However, he did not accept and appealed. Unfortunately, the panel of judges increased the sentence to 5 years in prison. Still trying, Saiful Jamil filed an appeal. As a result, the sentence of 5 years in prison was strengthened. In fact, Saiful Jamil was again found guilty of bribing the clerk. The sentence was increased by 3 years, bringing the total to 8 years.

Saiful Jamil received about 30 months of remission. Finally, he was released on September 2, 2021, after serving a sentence of 5 years and 7 months.