Jakarta Provincial Government Removes Three Billboards for Horror Film 'Aku Harus Mati'

The Jakarta Provincial Government has cracked down on several billboards featuring advertisements for the horror film Aku Harus Mati in the capital city. The content on these billboards was deemed disturbing to residents, especially children.

Special Staff to the Jakarta Governor, Yustinus Prastowo, stated that the crackdown is an effort to preserve the comfort of residents in public spaces. The film’s advertisements, released coinciding with the National Film Day commemoration on 2 April 2026, have drawn protests for being too scary and not child-friendly.

“A total of three locations have been addressed, namely two banner sites and one videotron,” he said in a statement quoted on Monday (6/4/2026).

The three points that have been acted upon are located on Jalan Puri Kembangan, Jalan Daan Mogot Km 11 (Jembatan Gantung), and the Harmoni Intersection Police Post. The Jakarta Provincial Government will continue to monitor the situation in the field and ensure that every public report is followed up quickly and appropriately.

“We are also continuing to coordinate to monitor developments in handling other points,” he added.

Yustinus further emphasised that public spaces must be safe, comfortable, and inclusive for all groups, including children. Therefore, all communication materials in public spaces need to consider aspects of propriety and psychological impact on the wider community.

According to him, the Jakarta Provincial Government will take firm action if similar advertisements are still found. This crackdown is expected to alleviate residents’ concerns while maintaining order and the quality of public spaces in Jakarta.

Previously, several netizens had complained about the presence of these horror film advertisement billboards on social media, as they were seen to cause fear in public spaces.

The film Aku Harus Mati, directed by Hestu Saputra, tells the story of Mala (Hana Saraswati), a woman entangled in debt and terrorised by evil spirits due to her hedonistic lifestyle in pursuit of validation in the capital city. Quoted from Antara, Iwet Ramadhan, representing the producer, said the film is drawn from the social conditions of society in the social media era, which is rife with hedonism, flexing, and a strong need for social recognition or validation.

The intense social pressure to gain recognition often leads people to think short-term, resulting in entanglement in online loans (pinjol) and resorting to illogical means. “What we want to convey is that we want society to be more cautious. Don’t let the need for validation from others, or to appear cool in others’ eyes, lead to unnecessary entanglements,” he said.

Filmed in Yogyakarta over 18 days, the film offers horror viewing dominated by jumpscares, or scenes designed to suddenly startle the audience.