BEM UI Makes Puan Meme Entitled As Tikus: PDIP Angry, PKS Defends

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani. (Ist)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) is furious in response to the 'Puan Berbadan Tikus' meme uploaded by the account of the University of Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI). Senior PDIP politician Hendrawan Supratikno, assessed that the criticism submitted by BEM UI through satirizing memes against institutions was inappropriate. According to him, inputs from campuses with the tone of opinion reflect students who are less educated and demean common sense. "It seems inappropriate for students to convey less educated faces, as long as it sounds, demeans the sense of mind. Invite people to discuss, argue, openly and fundamentally," said Hendrawan, Thursday, March 23. The member of Commission XI of the DPR regretted the criticism of students who he considered less civilized. In fact, he said, so far, the DPR always hopes that students can convey comprehensive input to help the council in absorbing aspirations in society.

"So far, criticism and input from campuses have been very noticed. Working visits of Council Apparatus (AKD), including Legislation Body, often to campuses. We always hope that campuses will provide complete and in-depth input," said Hendrawan. Therefore, he appealed to BEM UI students to criticize by prioritizing the academic code of ethics. Because according to him, that is the essence of the role and contribution of campus personnel in building national civilization.

"Not making shallow and speculative mothers. In Javanese there is the term waton suloyo, carelessly, the important thing is that it is different and attracts attention," said Hendrawan. Unlike PDIP, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) actually defended BEM UI. According to him, BEM UI certainly has its own reasons for uploading a 'rat body' meme like that after the ratification of the Job Creation Perppu on Tuesday, March 21, yesterday. "The head of the (body) rat's face, they must have a reason. Students have a tendency," said PKS DPP chairman Mardani Ali Sera to reporters, Thursday, March 23. According to Mardani, the right of every community to convey their aspirations. As a faction that rejects the Ciptaker Perppu, PKS considers the dominant employers' paradigm that makes many workers and MSME actors threatened.

"Everyone has the right to associate and have opinions. Appreciation of BEM UI who dares and has straightforward opinions about the Ciptaker Perppu," said Mardani.

Previously, BEM UI uploaded an animated meme in the form of the Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, a rat, sticking out from the DPR/MPR RI Building. The meme upload was a form of criticism for the steps taken by the Council to approve the Job Creation Perppu.

The chairman of BEM UI Melki Sedek Huang emphasized that the meme is a form of criticism that is commonly expressed in democratic countries. According to him, the visual figure of a mouse who connotates with a corruptor is made not just to look for sensations but does have meaning.

"We don't think there is anything else that we want to show other than Puan Maharani as a representation of our DPR today. We consider the DPR building to be no longer a people's house, but it has become the home of the rats who like to seize people's rights," said Melki, Thursday, March 23.