DPR Speaker Urges Public to Maintain Ethics When Criticising Government

House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani has urged the public to maintain ethics when levelling criticisms against the government. The PDIP politician made the remarks in response to cases of criminalisation faced by analysts after criticising the government.

“The law must be enforced as fairly as possible. However, we must also maintain ethics in delivering criticism so that it can be done in a courteous manner,” Puan said at the DPR Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday, 21 April 2026.

According to Puan, criticism should be delivered with mutual respect so that the recipient can accept it. Thus, she sees a connection in how criticism is conveyed.

“This means that those giving criticism must also provide it in a good way; those receiving the criticism will certainly accept it if it is indeed a constructive criticism,” stated the former Minister of Coordinating Human Development and Culture.

Recently, several practitioners and academics have been reported to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya). Among them are Saiful Mujani, founder of Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC); lecturer at Jakarta State University (UNJ), Ubedilah Badrun; and legal practitioner at Andalas University, Feri Amsari.

They were reported for criticisms of the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka expressed at various events. Saiful Mujani was reported by the East Jakarta Community Alliance on suspicion of incitement against the authorities regarding statements made at an analysts’ halal bihalal event.

Feri Amsari was also reported for the same reason as Saiful Mujani. Meanwhile, Ubedilah Badrun was reported to Polda Metro Jaya on 13 April 2026 after referring to Prabowo and Gibran as a burden on the nation in a podcast.