Experts Warn Public Against Divisive Politics in Andrie Yunus Case
Jakarta — A geopolitics expert from Jakarta State University (UNJ), Rasminto, has warned the public not to be easily caught in divisive politics following the acid attack on KontraS Deputy Coordinator Adrian Yunus on Thursday, 12 March evening.
Rasminto explained that the act constitutes a serious crime that must be thoroughly investigated by law enforcement authorities, and all allegations or speculation linking state institutions without clear basis will damage national cohesion and cause social conflict.
“From the perspective of geopolitics and modern information warfare, sensitive incidents are often exploited to construct narratives that can divide society. Therefore, the public must be very careful not to fall victim to divisive politics,” Rasminto stated in a written statement confirmed by ANTARA in Jakarta on Monday.
He highlighted the circulation of photos claiming to show the perpetrator’s identity along with a military intelligence member on social media, which are not authentic perpetrator identification data.
The Indonesian National Police (Polri), according to him, officially stated that the image was the result of digital manipulation allegedly created using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
“This is extremely dangerous. When digitally manipulated images are distributed and then used as a basis to accuse a particular institution, the result is the formation of public opinion that misleads society,” he said.
Furthermore, Rasminto also expressed regret over accusations directed at the Indonesian National Military (TNI) without evidence.
In his view, such narratives are not only hurtful to TNI soldiers who have dedicated themselves to the state, but also have the potential to damage the unity between the TNI and the people, which has been the foundation of Indonesia’s national defence.
“The unity of the TNI and the people is an important pillar in maintaining national stability. Baseless accusations against the TNI not only hurt the military institution, but also have the potential to damage public trust and our national cohesion as a nation,” he explained.
Rasminto emphasised that in a state governed by law, every criminal case must be resolved through objective investigation and inquiry processes by law enforcement authorities, and the public should refrain from rushing to conclusions before official investigation results are announced.
“Most importantly now is to give space for law enforcement authorities to work professionally. The public needs to exercise restraint in order not to spread unverified information,” he said.
Divisive politics, or divide et impera, Rasminto noted, has been used in Indonesian history to weaken national unity. He called on all segments of society to maintain public sanity amidst the torrent of digital information.
“Indonesia must not be divided merely because of narrative warfare on social media. National unity and trust in state institutions must be maintained whilst awaiting the true legal facts to emerge,” he said.