Legal Advisor Says Roy Suryo Wasn't The Party That Edited The Borobudur Stupa Meme Similar To Jokowi

Roy Suryo (Via ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Roy Suryo's Legal Advisory Team stated that his client was not an editor of the Jokowi-like Borobudor Stupa meme which went viral on social media as a form of protest over the increase in tariffs for entering cultural heritage sites.

"The legal advisory team is of the view that Roy Suryo cannot be held criminally responsible because he is not the perpetrator," said Pitra Romadoni Nasution, a member of Roy Suryo's Legal Advisory Team, in a written statement received in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, June 16.

Pitra said that Roy Suryo was not the one who made the stupa meme and was only a witness to the stupa meme regarding the increase in ticket prices for Borobudur Temple.

Therefore, his client cannot be held criminally responsible as stipulated in Article 10 paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) of Law Number 31 of 2014 concerning the Protection of Witnesses and Victims.

Regarding the meme, Pitra said that there were efforts that were led by certain parties (buzzerRp) towards hatred and hostility so that Roy Suryo's upload was taken down for reasons of good faith.

"Roy Surya has provided direct clarification regarding the source of the stupa meme by attaching the original account and the link that previously posted the Borobudur Stupa meme," said Pitra.

He explained that his client made a tweet containing the Borobudur Stupa meme which was created by someone else. In the description of the image, it is explained that the meme is edited by netizens (others).

"And regarding the meme, Roy Suryo has no intention of insulting certain groups, but criticism regarding the government's price increase policy at Borobudur Temple because Roy Suryo feels the community's distress regarding the policy," he said.

Pitra also said that his client will take legal action constitutionally because the criticisms and protests have been led by opinions by certain parties. The step of reporting to law enforcement officers is to prevent the post from being misinterpreted by the public.

Furthermore, Pitra emphasized that his client's tweet was about the Borobudur Temple tourism policy and was not discussing religion so that there was no intention to insult a particular religion, but other parties who wanted to try to bring the meme towards SARA.

"Even though the contest (twit) is a post by other people criticizing the policy of increasing tourist rates at Borobudur Temple," he said.

To avoid fights and provocations by other parties, continued Pitra, Roy Suryo openly and gentlely dared to apologize for the upheaval that occurred to the Indonesian people, especially to Buddhists who were possibly related to the meme.

Previously, the Indonesian National Police (Polri) investigated the photo maker of the Borobudur Stupa, which was edited with a face similar to President Joko Widodo, who alluded to the rising entrance fee to the world heritage site.

The Head of the National Police Public Relations Division, Inspector General Pol. Dedi Prasetyo said the Cyber Directorate of the National Police had moved to investigate who the perpetrator was who had made the photo. "Cyber is currently investigating and profiling," said Dedi, confirmed in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 14.