BRIN Researcher Threatens And Harasses Muhammadiyah, Police Headquarters Intervenes

Head of the Public Information Bureau of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The National Police Headquarters responded to the case of researchers from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) who commented on social media by threatening Muhammadiyah residents regarding the difference in the determination of Eid al-Fitr 1444 Hijri.

Head of the Public Information Bureau of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan said the National Police was conducting an investigation regarding the case.

"The National Police responds to threats of all kinds by conducting an investigation," said Ramadhan, quoted by ANTARA, April 25.

Last Monday, the Director of Cyber Crime, Bareskrim Polri, Brigadier General Adi Vivid A Bactiar, said that his party was conducting an analysis of psychological characteristics or profiling related to the threat statement.

"We are currently profiling the statement," said Vivid.

Separately, the Muhammadiyah Youth Central Executive Board (PP) visited the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police, Jakarta, Tuesday to make a police report regarding threatening comments from the BRIN researcher.

The three representatives of the Muhammadiyah Youth PP management accompanied by a lawyer arrived at the Police Criminal Investigation Building, Jakarta, at 09.19 WIB.

They then headed to the Integrated Police Service Center (SPKT) of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police and did not want to comment before making a report. Until this news was revealed, representatives of the Muhammadiyah Youth PP management were still in the SPKT Bareskrim Polri room.

The threat comment was uploaded by Andi Pangerang (AP) Hasanuddin, a BRIN astronomy researcher on a link uploaded by BRIN researcher Thomas Jamaluddin regarding the different methods of determining the 2023 Eid al-Fitr.

Initially, Thomas commented that Muhamamdiyah was no longer obedient to the Government's decision because setting Eid al-Fitr 1444 H was different from the Government's determination. Thomas' comments were replied by Hasanuddin's AP account with a cynical and threatening tone.

Some of the comments uploaded by AP Hasanuddin regarding the differences were also busy on social media.

"I don't hesitate to silence you Muhammadiyah who are still egocentric. Mr. Thomas, Mr. Ma'rufin, et al, how come it still doesn't work," wrote Hasanuddin's AP account.

Then, AP Hasanuddin also wrote a reply comment on the upload of Ahmad Fuazan S's account.

"Please report my comments with threats of murder!!! I'm ready to go to prison. I'm tired of your commotion!!!" wrote AP Hasanuddin in all big letters.