Lampung Officials Don't Need To Be Thin Of Ears, Even Though Bima Yudho's Criticism Is Not Polite

Bima Yudho Saputro went viral after making a video on TikTok containing criticism of why Lampung Province is difficult to become an advanced area. (TikTok/@Awbimaxreborn)

JAKARTA Bima Yudho Saputro's criticism of the problems that occurred in Lampung Province led to a polemic. In fact, Bima may have dealt with the police after being reported by Gindha Ansori Wayka to the Lampung Police regarding the violation of the ITE Law. Bima is suspected of spreading false information.

Gindha is an advocate. He is also known to serve as Chairman of the Presidium Coordinator of the Regional Policy and Budget Monitoring Committee (KPKAD) as well as the attorney for the Governor of Lampung, Arinal Djunaidi.

Bima in his criticism discussed four reasons that made Lampung not yet a developed city to date. The first is limited infrastructure, especially in the transportation, communication and energy sectors.

"There are so many government projects that are stalled. For example, Kota Baru, during my elementary school until now I have never heard of it again. The flow of funds from the central government is hundreds of billions, so it's best and I don't know now it's a place for genies to throw children away," said Bima Yudho in a video circulating on TikTok.

"And also the streets in Lampung, yes, 1 km is good, 1 km is damaged, just stick it together. What is this? Is this the government playing ladder snakes or what?" he continued.

Second, the education system. There are many frauds that occur in the process of accepting students and students in Lampung.

"With a lot of smart people, many ministers from Lampung, such as Erick Thohir, Sri Mulyani. It's just that the screening process for students in Lampung itself has a lot of fraud. Even those who contribute to people who work in the education sector, like their son, the chancellor, what is this? " he said.

Third, weak governance. This problem has created negative perceptions of provinces among investors and has reduced business growth.

"Corruption is everywhere, the bureaucracy is not efficient, the law is not enforced weakly, and bribery too," said Bima Yudho.

The last reason is dependence on the agricultural sector. Lampung's economy only depends on the agricultural sector, especially coffee, rubber, and palm oil.

Some people believe that what Bima said is in accordance with the facts. The problem of transportation infrastructure such as damaged roads in Lampung Province is known to be an unfinished problem.

Examples of damaged roads in the areas of Mesuji, Tulang Bawang, Way Kanan, and a number of other areas. Several areas, such as in Rumbia, Central Lampung, have even gone viral on social media. The road, which was originally asphalt, turned into a mud puddle.

There are facts regarding the education system and corruption cases. KPK chairman Firli Bahuri in a scientific oration at Novotel Lampung in April 2022, had mentioned that Lampung Province was 9th in the data on the distribution of corruption cases throughout 2004-January 2022.

Not long ago, in August 2022, the KPK conducted a Hand Catch Operation (OTT). Six of the eight people who were caught were academics from the University of Lampung, including Karomani as the rector.

Karomani was charged with receiving gratuities amounting to Rp6.98 billion and Singapore$10,000 since 2020. He was assisted by the vice chancellor and chairman of the senate at that time to collect bribes. Gratification was given so that Karomani passed the students entrusted to the University of Lampung.

Then, the disclosure of the corruption case of the Jalan Ir Sutami construction project that crossed Bandar Lampung City, Tanjung Bintang, South Lampung Regency, to Sribawono, East Lampung Regency by the Lampung Police Ditkrimsus at the end of last December. The corruption case allegedly cost the state up to Rp29.2 billion.

Not to mention the recent case of corruption in waste retribution.

However, Gindha considers the narrative conveyed by Bima Yudho to be too excessive and not data-based. For example, in the mention of stalled projects.

"We need to understand that in Lampung Province there are not many stalled projects, so using the word'many stalled projects' is an excessive narrative. Not supported by this related valid data, so the information is quite misleading in the public," Gindha said in his official statement on the hindaansoriwayka.com page quoted April 18, 2023.

Other narratives that tend to be misleading are also about the flow of central government funds that reach hundreds of billions and Kota Baru has become a place for genies to dispose of children.

"The person concerned builds public opinion without going through research first, so that by ignorance he shows that the person concerned spoke without basis and did not match the facts," he said.

Likewise regarding the weak education system with a lot of cheating expressed by Bima. This is an extraordinary slander because the narrative that is built is not detailed.

"Of course it has the potential to harm people who work in the education sector," Gindha continued.

Moreover, the problems conveyed by Bima did not only occur in Lampung Province, but also in all regions.

"Moreover, we have only risen 2 years from Covid, so it is natural then that development is limited, boss," he said in a video circulating on social media.

On that basis, Gindha considers Bima Yudho to have spread misleading fake news and have the potential to cause trouble among the people of Lampung Province.

The actions concerned have complied with the formulation of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning Criminal Law Regulations. As in the provisions of Article 14 number (2) and Article 15. Also, have violated the ITE Law.

"However, we underlined, what we report is only a dajjal statement. We don't report any other criticism, we are grateful. That is an encouragement for improvement," said Gindha asserted.

The report is only a way for the public to better understand how to convey the correct aspirations.

I will give the right education. How to convey the correct aspirations. By using dignified words, "explained Gindha.

Professor of criminal law from Gadjah Mada University, Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej said facts are neutral. The assessment of facts depends on which perspective one sees them.

A clear example in the history of Prince Diponegoro's struggle against General De Kock.

If the fact was written by the Dutch, they would say De Kock was a fighter while Prince Diponegoro was an extremist. But if written from the fact of Indonesia, De Kock is an colonialist, and Prince Diponegoro is a fighter. So, facts with different perspectives will also be different, "he said as quoted from the YouTube account of the Indonesian Legal Case.

Likewise in the case of criticism. The facts that Bima Yudho and Gindha have are clearly different. However, Bima has the constitutional right to state that.

Everyone has the right to freedom of association, assembly, and opinion. However, there are still limits. In Article 28J paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution it is stated that everyone must respect the human rights of others in an orderly life of society, nation, and state.

This means, said Hendry Julian Noor, even though criticism of the government is common and a reflection of democratic life, as a nation that adheres to the values of decency and decency is still upheld.

"Personity and decency are values that live in Indonesian society. This is also considered in the Law on Judicial Power," said Hendry, Lecturer of the State Administration Legal Department of the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University in his opinion.

Most importantly, public officials should not be anti-critic. Criticism is a form of supervision carried out by the public towards the performance of officials.