Ade Armando Denies Slander Against Jusuf Kalla

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Social media activist Ade Armando has denied slandering Indonesia’s 10th and 12th Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK). “We have never slandered, accused Mr JK of being a religious blasphemer. We have never accused Mr JK; that would be slander. We have never incited discord between religious groups in Indonesia,” said Ade Armando at the Central Executive Board office of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) in Jakarta on Tuesday. Ade emphasised that the criticisms he voiced, including those against Jusuf Kalla, are based on views he believes are grounded, not attempts to provoke or incite division. He also challenged those accusing him to provide concrete evidence for their claims. “Anyone who accuses me and my colleagues of doing that, I challenge them to point out in which part of my video I did that,” he stated. Ade further affirmed his readiness to respond to a police summons for clarification. “If I am called by the police, I will come; I will explain that I have never done it,” he said. Previously, around 40 Islamic community organisations (ormas) united under the Alliance of Islamic Organisations to Maintain Religious Harmony reported social media activist Ade Armando, Permadi Arya, and politician Grace Natalie to the police regarding a video of Jusuf Kalla’s (JK) lecture. The report was submitted to the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency and accepted under Police Report number LP/B/185/V/2026/SPKT/BARESKRIM POLRI. “Ade Armando uploaded a snippet of the video on (YouTube, ed.) Cokro TV on 9 April 2026. Then, Permadi Arya posted it on his social media on 12 April 2026. Then, Grace Natalie posted it on her social media on 13 April 2026,” he explained. He stated that in the posts by all three, there was an incomplete narrative from JK’s video regarding the discussion of Christian teachings on martyrdom. JK, he added, was not actually discussing religious teachings but rather the psychological concerns of society that might lead to misguided thinking from certain doctrines. “Thus, Mr JK stated that the thinking on martyrdom is misguided. This was not presented publicly in full,” he said.