Hasto Comments on Feri Amsari Case Being Reported to Police
Secretary General of the PDI Perjuangan Central Executive Board, Hasto Kristiyanto, observed that many critics of government programmes are being reported to the police, such as criticisms regarding food issues. However, he stated, this nation is built on dialectics or contradictions.
“This Republic is built on dialectics,” he said during the Seminar Commemorating the 71st Anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference (KAA) at the PDI Perjuangan Party School in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, on Saturday, 18 April 2026.
He assessed that criticism demonstrates love for the Motherland, not a desire for the government to fail. “Criticism of the government is because we care, love for this Republic,” he said.
Hasto’s statement on criticism relates to the relevance of the 1955 KAA ideas to the current situation. He said that the KAA called for the UN to create a resolution to reconcile conflicts between Arab countries and Palestine at that time. That call was signed by 29 KAA countries, including Indonesia. “This is why Indonesia must consistently fight for Palestine,” he said.
The KAA also declared the elimination of colonialism. The KAA supported Indonesia’s position on the West Irian issue.
The KAA’s stance on international law is enshrined in the Bandung Ten Principles. For him, the KAA’s outcomes carry a narrative of liberation. That liberation narrative must be interpreted to respect differences in ideas and thoughts.
“Differences in ideas and thoughts, as long as driven by a spirit of love for the Motherland for the nation’s progress. It is not forbidden, but it is important in terms of democracy,” he said.
Hasto stated that PDI Perjuangan must be a sturdy and progressive party. PDIP, he said, must be sturdy in facing various pressures. “Because we want to free ourselves from various pressures, exploitations. Including the functioning of DPR functions as checks and balances,” he said.
Previously, Chairman of the Tani Nusantara Legal Aid Institute, Minta Ito Simamora, reported constitutional law expert from Andalas University, Feri Amsari, to the Metro Jaya Regional Police. Ito reported Feri for alleged dissemination of false news related to his statements at an observers’ halal bihalal event.
Head of Public Relations Division of Metro Jaya Regional Police, Commissioner General Budi Hermanto, said the complainant submitted the report on Friday, 17 April 2026. “Today we received a report from Mrs MIS,” he said when met by reporters on Friday.
Budi said Ito reported the alleged violation of Article 264 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code. The police recorded the report with number LP/B/2692/IV/2026/SPKT/POLDA METRO JAYA dated 17 April 2026.
Ito Simamora admitted to being restless over Feri’s statement that called the food self-sufficiency programme a failure. He assessed that Feri’s statement at the observers’ halal bihalal event had the potential to incite division among farmers and traders in Indonesia. “When Feri Amsari said there is no self-sufficiency, it is very disturbing to farmers,” he said.
Ito also submitted several pieces of evidence in the form of social media screenshots and several videos containing Feri’s statements about food self-sufficiency. He also submitted comparative data from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
Feri Amsari has not responded to messages sent by Tempo regarding the report that implicates his name. In an event titled “Before Observers Are Regulated,” Feri stated that Indonesia has not achieved food self-sufficiency.
He emphasised that if the government claims Indonesia has achieved self-sufficiency, the government must prove it with data. “Why from 2024 to 2025 we still imported 5.4 million tons of rice, suddenly in 2026 it becomes zero? Answer that data first,” he said at the forum, as quoted from the Instagram account @2045TV.
According to Feri, self-sufficiency can be realised if the number of rice fields increases and agricultural technology advances. However, based on the data he has, the number of rice fields has not increased. “Or because of more advanced rice planting technology in the fields. My question, which village in Indonesia plants more sophisticatedly than Japan? We want to know that. There is no such data. The President is openly lying to the public,” he said.