Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Party, Benny K. Harman, has issued\nan apology after telling journalists to \u2018use their brains\u2019 in response\nto repeated questions about the attendance of Indonesia\u2019s 6th President\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) at the 2026 MPR Annual Session.<\/p>\n
Benny explained that the incident began when members of the press\nasked whether SBY would attend the Annual Session and State Address by\nthe President at the Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, on 14 August\n2026.<\/p>\n
He said he had already given a clear answer that SBY was in the\nUnited States undergoing a medical check-up until the end of the month,\nmeaning he would automatically be unable to attend the state event.<\/p>\n
\u2018I said that the 6th President is currently undergoing a check-up in\nAmerica. Most likely until the end of the month. Therefore, he certainly\nwould not have the opportunity to attend this state event. That was the\ngist of it, already clear,\u2019 Benny said at the Parliamentary Complex,\nSenayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (11\/8).<\/p>\n
Benny admitted he spontaneously made the remark because questions\nabout SBY\u2019s attendance kept being repeated by journalists even though he\nhad already explained SBY\u2019s medical agenda abroad.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the Democratic Party legislator stressed that he did\nnot intend to offend the journalistic profession and openly apologised\nfor his choice of words.<\/p>\n
\u2018Then earlier my friends asked again, \u201cSo will Mr SBY attend or not?\u201d\nWell, if he is there until the end of the month, he automatically cannot\nattend. Then I said, \u201cWhen asking questions, these journalists need to\nuse their brains a little, don\u2019t ask again after it\u2019s already been\nanswered.\u201d But that was not the context. So I apologise if anyone felt\noffended, there is no issue beyond that,\u2019 Benny concluded.<\/p>\n
Previously, when met by journalists at the Parliamentary Complex,\nSenayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (11\/8\/2026), Benny K. Harman responded with\na remark considered demeaning to journalists when asked about SBY\u2019s\nattendance at the MPR Annual Session.<\/p>\n
\u2018Hey, you, do you have a brain or not? I already explained it, right?\nIf he is having a check-up there until the end of the month, why are you\nstill asking again? There are a lot of strange journalists nowadays,\u2019\nBenny said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/benny-k-harman-apologises-after-telling-journalists-to-use-your-brain-1786452705", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }