{ "success": true, "data": { "id": 2026593, "msgid": "cyber-troop-maneuvers-after-prabowo-speeches-1791438954", "date": "2026-10-08 12:21:45", "title": "Cyber Troop Maneuvers After Prabowo Speeches", "author": "", "source": "TEMPO_EN", "tags": "", "topic": "Politics", "summary": "Tempo's Fact-Checking Team, working with SAFEnet and the Monash Data and Democracy Hub, uncovered a coordinated network of hundreds of social media accounts that amplified pro-government narratives after President Prabowo Subianto's controversial remarks on \"londo ireng,\" Iran's nuclear capabilities, and onion peeler wages. The campaign ran in tandem with clarification statements from government officials, and the report notes that identical phrasing appeared in both official releases and social media posts. Communication experts warn that such image repair efforts may calm controversy in the short term but could undermine the consistency of the government's message if repeated too often.", "content": "

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On social media platform X, user account @ahmdnizaar98<\/span> tweeted\nin support of President Prabowo Subianto\u2019s speech on \u201clondo ireng\u201d or\n\u201cforeign lackeys.\u201d The account claimed the \u201clondo ireng\u201d remark served\nas a public warning to stay be wary of foreign funding flows.<\/p>\n

\u201cImplied meaning!\u201dLondo ireng\u201d is a warning for the flow of foreign\nfunding behind political dynamics,\u201d the account posted on July 25, 2026,\nat 2:04 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB). Two days earlier, the\nPresident had accused several non-governmental organizations,\njournalists, and researchers of being \u201clondo ireng,\u201d a Javanese term for\ndomestic traitors siding with colonialists.<\/p>\n

The account also shared an article by Indah Gayatri published on\nKompasiana, titled \u201cMenebak Makna \u2018Londo Ireng\u2019 dan Aliran Dana Asing di\nTengah Dinamika Politik\u201d (Guessing the Meaning of \u2018Londo Ireng\u2019 and\nForeign Funding Flows amid Political Dynamics). The piece alleged that\nseveral non-governmental organizations and news outlets, including\nTempo, accepted funding from the Open Society Foundations, an\norganization founded by philanthropist George Soros.<\/p>\n

The article went live at 1:37 p.m. WIB, roughly 30 minutes before\n@ahmdnizaar98<\/span>\nshared it. Following @ahmdnizaar98<\/span>\u2019s post, dozens of other\naccounts generated over 100 posts echoing President Prabowo\u2019s\nallegations. Mirroring @ahmdnizaar98<\/span>, 44 additional accounts\namplified Indah Gayatri\u2019s article.<\/p>\n

This surge of posts erupted after six journalism and media groups\ncondemned President Prabowo Subianto\u2019s speech labeling journalists,\nanalysts, and NGOs as \u201clondo ireng.\u201d President Prabowo made this\naccusation during his address at the National Awakening Party\u2019s (PKB)\nanniversary event at the Jakarta Convention Center on Thursday, July 23,\n2026.<\/p>\n

The @ahmdnizaar98<\/span> account was created only\nin April 2026 and had just two followers as of September 10, 2026. It\nroutinely shares posts, digital posters, and Kompasiana articles that\nchampion government policies or target civil society groups. For\ninstance, it frames Prabowo as a great leader and claims that national\nfood self-sufficiency has already been achieved.<\/p>\n

Tempo reached out to the account for comment but received no response\nas of Thursday, September 10, 2026. The same silence met outreach to\nIndah Gayatri, an unidentified freelance writer.<\/p>\n

Tempo\u2019s Fact-Checking Team uncovered a coordinated network of\naccounts deployed to polish President Prabowo\u2019s image following a series\nof public speaking blunders. These social media accounts operated in\ntandem with clarification statements issued by government officials.<\/p>\n

In addition to the \u201clondo ireng\u201d controversy, a similar pattern\nemerged after President Prabowo\u2019s speech regarding Iran\u2019s possession of\nnuclear weapons. Prabowo made the remarks during a gathering with\nbusiness leaders from the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry\n(Kadin) at the State Palace in Jakarta on Friday, July 31, 2026.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the President claimed that the wage for an onion peeler\nreached Rp700,000 per kilogram. The Gerindra Party chief patron made the\nstatement during the Annual Session of the People\u2019s Consultative\nAssembly (MPR) on Friday, August 14, 2026.<\/p>\n

Tempo\u2019s Fact-Checking Team compiled social media post data using\nmonitoring tools including Brandwatch, reverse image search engines, and\nXpoz. The data was extracted and analyzed based on timing, textual\ncontent, cross-account networks, engagement metrics, and account\nprofiles.<\/p>\n

The \u201cLondo Ireng\u201d Remarks<\/p>\n

Tempo\u2019s Fact-Checking Team identified 319 social media accounts that\ndisseminated 1,210 pro-government posts between July 25 and August 11,\n2026. Overwhelmingly, 95 percent of these posts circulated on platform\nX, with the remaining content appeared across Facebook, Instagram, and\nYouTube. The primary hashtag driving the campaign was #LondoIreng.<\/p>\n

The operation allegedly kicked off on July 25, 2026, involving an\ninitial cluster of 70 accounts. This group fired off roughly 120 posts\nwith narratives defending President Prabowo\u2019s speech, such as accusing\nforeign funding. This surge of tweets was concentrated between 2:00 p.m.\nand 4:00 p.m. WIB.<\/p>\n

Two subsequent waves rolled out on July 26 and 27, 2026, continuously\namplifying narratives aimed at legitimizing the President\u2019s remarks.\nBoth waves mobilized roughly 70 accounts, largely matching the network\nactive on July 25.<\/p>\n

The posting patterns were also identical. On July 26, 2026, 44\naccounts simultaneously shared links to a Kompasiana article by another\nauthor titled \u201cPahami Konteksnya, Siapa yang Dimaksud Londo Ireng oleh\nPresiden Prabowo.\u201d (Understand the Context, Who Is Meant by President\nPrabowo to Be Londo Ireng).<\/p>\n

Authored under the pseudonym Pak Gie, the article was published at\n12:25 p.m. WIB before being systematically cross-posted by X accounts\nstarting at 1:14 p.m. Tempo reached out to the Kompasiana account for\nclarification, but received no reply as of Thursday, September 10,\n2026.<\/p>\n

The campaign peaked on July 28, 2026, involving nearly 160\naccounts\u2014double the daily volume of previous days. This network\ngenerated around 300 posts, concentrated primarily between 1:00 p.m. and\n3:00 p.m. WIB.<\/p>\n

Among them, 67 accounts active in the July 28 push belonged to the\nsame fleet deployed from July 25 to 27. Meanwhile, 92 other accounts\nwere newly deployed. Hundreds of these posts carried two additional\nhashtags: #JanganGagalPaham (#DontFailToUnderstand) and\n#LoyalitasUntukBangsa (#LoyaltyForTheNation).<\/p>\n

A portion of the posts attempted to clarify President Prabowo\u2019s\nstatement. The handle @babagajah46<\/span>, for instance, wrote that\nthe term \u201clondo ireng\u201d was not directed at all journalists. \u201cIt was\naimed at the interests of specific individuals,\u201d the account wrote at\n1:55 p.m. WIB.<\/p>\n

Other accounts, such as @kuncikata<\/span>, doubled down on the\nallegation, posting, \u201cPresident Prabowo is not wrong; there are indeed\nmany \u2018londo ireng\u2019 in Indonesia.\u201d As of Thursday, September 10, 2026,\nneither account had responded to Tempo\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n

The narrative shifted on July 30, 2026, during a smaller wave of\nactivity. Thirty accounts began framing Prabowo as a descendant of\nPrince Diponegoro\u2019s fighters. These posts surfaced after social media\nusers pointed out that Prabowo\u2019s maternal great-grandfather, Benjamin\nThomas Sigar, had assisted Dutch colonial forces in capturing Diponegoro\nduring the Java War.<\/p>\n

Tempo\u2019s Fact-Checking Team previously investigated Prabowo\u2019s paternal\nand maternal lineage in an article titled \u201cBenarkah Prabowo Keturunan\nPrajurit Diponegoro?\u201d (Is Prabowo a Descendant of Diponegoro\u2019s\nSoldiers?).<\/p>\n

Online operations surged again on July 31, 2026, before gradually\ntapering off through August 11, 2026. The messaging remained constant:\nreinforcing the \u201clondo ireng\u201d claim, offering contextual defenses, and\ncalling on citizens to maintain national loyalty.<\/p>\n

This online campaign mirrored efforts by several government officials\nto clarify the intent behind President Prabowo\u2019s remarks. The PR push\nbegan with Fifi Aleyda Yahya, Director General of Public Communication\nand Media at the Ministry of Communication and Digital, who issued an\nofficial release on July 27, 2026.<\/p>\n

According to Fifi, \u201clondo ireng\u201d was merely a political metaphor and\nnot intended to discredit any specific profession, media organization,\nor group. \u201cWhat the President conveyed was an appeal to stay alert\nagainst entities deliberately creating narratives suggesting Indonesia\nhas no hope,\u201d Fifi stated in the release.<\/p>\n

Additional clarifications followed on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, from\nHuman Rights Minister Natalius Pigai and Head of the Government\nCommunications Agency Muhammad Qodari. Qodari urged news outlets to\nfocus on the substance of Prabowo\u2019s address. \u201cThe President\u2019s series of\nspeeches is aimed at defending the public interest,\u201d Qodari said in\nSurabaya, East Java, on July 28, 2026.<\/p>\n

Two other officials, Special Presidential Advisor for Communications\nHasan Nasbi and Culture Minister Fadli Zon, issued separate statements\non July 31, 2026, and August 5, 2026, respectively.<\/p>\n

Hasan Nasbi claimed the term \u201clondo ireng\u201d referred to pessimistic\ngroups that enjoy causing trouble. Meanwhile, Fadli Zon argued that\nPrabowo\u2019s remark was delivered lightheartedly to raise awareness about\nforeign elements attempting to divide the nation.<\/p>\n

Tempo identified a pattern of narrative reframing and identical\nphrasing shared between official statements and coordinated social media\nposts.<\/p>\n

The phrases \u201cpolitical metaphor\u201d and \u201cnot targeting the profession,\u201d\nfeatured in the Komdigi press release, appeared 69 and 119 times across\nthe flagged social media accounts. Additionally, 58 posts incorporated\nvariations of the words \u201cpessimist,\u201d \u201cpessimistic,\u201d or \u201cpessimism,\u201d\nterms featured in both the official ministry release and Hasan Nasbi\u2019s\nremarks.<\/p>\n

Remarks on Iran\u2019s Nuclear Capabilities<\/p>\n

Tempo\u2019s Fact-Checking Team tracked 15 social media accounts active\nbetween August 2 and August 5, 2026. Ten of these posts appeared on\nInstagram, while five others were shared across X and Facebook. These\naccounts insisted Prabowo never claimed Iran possessed nuclear weapons,\nbut was merely highlighting international concerns over arms races in\nthe Middle East.<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Prabowo Subianto was reminding the public to stay vigilant\nin the face of an increasingly volatile global landscape,\u201d posted the\naccount geolore.id on August 3, 2026.<\/p>\n

Other coordinated accounts reframed the nuclear discussion around\ntopics of energy, healthcare, and peace. They lauded President Prabowo\nas a visionary leader who understands geopolitics. \u201cWe are so lucky to\nhave a president who understands the world map,\u201d wrote the account\nwoman.bersabda on August 2, 2026.<\/p>\n

Tempo reached out to both account administrators for comment but\nreceived no response as of Thursday, September 10, 2026.<\/p>\n

Alongside these textual posts, 10 accounts posted the same poster.\nFeaturing a blue-and-white color scheme alongside an image of President\nPrabowo, the poster read: \u201cMeluruskan Fakta: Presiden Prabowo Tak\nMenuduh Iran Punya Nuklir\u201d (Setting the Record Straight: President\nPrabowo Did Not Accuse Iran of Possessing Nuclear Weapons).<\/p>\n

Remarks on Onion Peeler Wage<\/p>\n

Following widespread online backlash over President Prabowo\u2019s claim\nthat onion peelers earn Rp700,000 per kilogram, 15 videos appeared on\nTikTok between August 16 and 26, 2026. Despite the small number of\nposts, the content generated massive engagement, racking up over 1.5\nmillion likes, 40,000 comments, and more than 21 million views.<\/p>\n

The posts, published across 14 accounts, followed a two-wave pattern.\nThe initial five videos, posted between August 16 and 17, 2026,\nattempted to clarify the figure Prabowo cited. They claimed the\nPresident misread his speech text. Namely, that the intended figure was\nRp700 to Rp1,000 per kilogram for onion peeling work.<\/p>\n

The posts framed Prabowo\u2019s slip as an understandable human error,\nnoting he delivered an unscripted speech lasting over an hour without a\nbreak. \u201cOne slip of the tongue shouldn\u2019t overshadow his real work,\u201d\nwrote the account Fans Pak Prabowo on August 16, 2026. Boasting 12,600\nfollowers, the account routinely publishes content about Prabowo\u2019s\nactivities.<\/p>\n

The second wave unfolded from August 20 to 26, 2026, as public\nmockery over the onion peeling wage comment persisted. During this\nwindow, 10 posts emerged claiming Prabowo intentionally misstated the\nnumbers as a coded hint aimed at exposing a major corruption\nscandal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever the President mentions a figure in a speech, a massive\ncorruption case is exposed shortly after,\u201d claimed the account\nPrabowo.Media on August 24, 2026. As with earlier accounts, this handle\nposted content focused on promoting Prabowo.<\/p>\n

Tempo\u2019s Fact-Checking Team reached out to both account owners for\ncomment, but neither responded as of Thursday, September 10, 2026.<\/p>\n

Image Restoration Strategy<\/p>\n

Lely Arrianie, a political communications expert from the London\nSchool of Public Relations (LSPR), stated that public official\nstatements and social media network campaigns are designed to reduce\nnegative public perception following the President\u2019s speeches. This\nstrategy aims to execute a brand recovery effort for an image considered\ndamaged.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s called rebranding, taking a brand that is considered\ntarnished, so to speak, and reshaping it,\u201d Lely told Tempo by phone on\nThursday, September 3, 2026.<\/p>\n

Lely explained that the communication pattern among public officials\ntends to defend President Prabowo\u2019s speeches out of context, before\nengaging secondary groups such as social media influencers to polish the\nimage online.<\/p>\n

This strategy, she noted, aims to project a positive image that may\nnot align with reality, creating distance from the public. \u201cPolitical\ncommunication should be imbued with feelings of sympathy, empathy, and\ndedication to the public,\u201d the LSPR political communication professor\nsaid.<\/p>\n

Suko Widodo, a political communication expert at Airlangga University\nin Surabaya, stated that ministerial statements and positive social\nmedia narratives represent damage control and image repair strategies.\nThis approach may prove effective in the short term to calm controversy\nand shift public attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if it happens too often, it can actually raise issues regarding\nthe consistency of the government\u2019s message,\u201d the lecturer at Airlangga\nUniversity\u2019s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences told Tempo via\nWhatsApp on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

Suko explained that the strength of President Prabowo\u2019s political\ncommunication style lies in spontaneity and authenticity. However, he\nemphasized that these traits must be supported by accurate data, careful\nwording, and openness to criticism. \u201cBecause the President is not only\nspeaking to his supporters, but to all citizens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Tempo\u2019s Fact-Checking Team requested responses from Director General\nof Public Communication and Media Fifi Aleyda Yahya, Special Advisor to\nthe President for Communications Hasan Nasbi, and Head of the Government\nCommunications Agency Muhammad Qodari. However, none of the three\nofficials replied as of Wednesday, September 9, 2026.<\/p>\n

*This report is the result of a collaboration between Tempo, SAFEnet\nand the Monash Data and Democracy Hub.<\/p>\n

**Do you have information or claims that you want to have\nfact-checked? Contact our ChatBot. You can also send criticism,\nobjections, or feedback for this Fact-Checking article via email to\n[email protected].<\/p>\n

Ika Ningtyas dan Ahmad Suudi contributed to this article.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cyber-troop-maneuvers-after-prabowo-speeches-1791438954", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }