Cabinet Secretary Teddy Responds to Saiful Mujani's Call to Overthrow Prabowo

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya responded casually to Saiful Mujani’s statement regarding the call to overthrow the government. He claimed not to have been aware of Mujani’s remarks. “I have a lot of work, I haven’t seen what he said,” Teddy stated at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/4). Besides himself, he mentioned that President Prabowo Subianto is also occupied with more important matters. He said Prabowo is focusing on more strategic issues. “Especially the President, the President is handling big things, focusing on more strategic matters,” he added. Saiful Mujani is a Professor of Political Science at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah and the founder of the research and political policy consultancy firm Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC). Recently, a video clip of him narrated as calling to topple the government has gone viral on social media. Mujani made those remarks at the Halal Bihalal event for Observers held last week. “Only we can do it, the people, ’98 wouldn’t have happened if the people and friends didn’t come down, the MPR wouldn’t have brought down Suharto,” Mujani said in the video clip posted by Hasan. Mujani’s statement was also responded to by former PCO head Hasan Nasbi, who criticised it sharply. Through his Instagram @hasan_nasbi, he expressed his disappointment and countered Saiful Mujani. “I am forced to express my disappointment,” Hasan said in his Instagram post, quoted on Monday (6/4). Mujani has also spoken out about his remarks. He rejected labelling them as an act of treason. He described his viral video clip on social media as a political stance. “The question is whether my statement can be called ‘treason’? I emphasise that it is not treason, but ‘political engagement’, namely a political stance or a stance expressed on political issues in front of many people,” Mujani stated in his clarification.