Haris Rusly suspects group wants to repeat August 2025 unrest

Activist and initiator of the 98 Resolution Network, Haris Rusly Moti, suspects there is a group or silent force obsessed with recycling the August 2025 upheaval, which was marked by riots and looting of the homes of several state officials.

According to him, the choice of action on 27 August 2026 feels highly provocative. He assesses that the group wants to create a crisis of trust and delegitimise the progressive and populist policies of President Prabowo Subianto.

“There are symptoms of political hallucination among a handful of silent forces that are launching a campaign of social chaos by piggybacking on mass movements,” said Haris in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.

In that effort, he suspects the use of information laundering techniques, namely the washing and recycling of disinformation used to spread incitement and provocation to the public to heat up the situation ahead of the mass action on 27 August 2026.

He explained that the information laundering technique is a process in which disinformation or fake news orchestrated massively on social media accounts is washed so that it appears credible.

“Information laundering has been used as a technique in psychological warfare, with the aim of collapsing public trust and market confidence in the government,” said Haris.

In fact, he assesses that the planned demonstration on 27 August 2026, which demands the eradication of corruption and the seizure of corruptors’ assets, is still in line with the policy direction and determination of President Prabowo.

Prabowo, he said, has even taken very fundamental action that goes beyond the demands of the mass movement, preventing the leakage of state wealth and seizing corrupt assets of mining, forest and land oligarchs.

“President Prabowo himself does not close his eyes and ears to the aspirations developing in society. This is proven by taking firm action against perpetrators of MBG corruption and law enforcers who abuse their authority to enrich themselves,” said Haris.

In addition, he assesses that President Prabowo’s state address on 14 August 2026 before the people’s representatives presented data on programme achievements during two years in government. However, he also does not deny the fact that many people’s problems remain unresolved.

“We need cooperation and togetherness to overcome the people’s problems. For us, social movements are critical partners of the government in protecting its policies from abuse,” he said.