Man Allegedly LGBT Passed TNI Soldier Selection Goes Viral on Social Media; Uploader Provides Clarification

The public was recently unsettled by the emergence of a photo suggesting that a man suspected of being part of the LGBT community has successfully passed the selection process to become a TNI soldier. The photo, which went viral on social media, depicts a man with his arm around another man wearing a TNI uniform.

The video was first uploaded by the TikTok account @farah999999991, showcasing content from an account named Saputra Zakaria, who posted photos and videos of his time with the man prior to his acceptance as a soldier. In his social media stories, Zakaria posted photos with captions such as, ‘Miss you so much. See you again at your beret ceremony, my bald one. Waiting for news on how many days until the ceremony, turns out I am not this patient.’

Furthermore, Zakaria shared video moments with romanticised captions such as ‘Miss you, bald one,’ and even posted a photo of the uniformed man, referred to as ‘Botak’ (Bald), with the caption, ‘You have feelings, but this man is mine.’

Following the viral spread of these photos and videos, netizens reacted with widespread scrutiny, with many questioning how the individual was permitted to pass the military selection process.

Saputra Zakaria’s Clarification

In response to the viral content, Saputra Zakaria released a clarification video via his social media account. In the video, he apologised for the posts that caused discomfort and potentially damaged the image of the TNI. He also asserted that his relationship with the uniformed man is strictly platonic.

‘I, Saputra Zakaria, apologise for the discomfort caused by my stories and for damaging the reputation of the TNI. I also want to state that he is not my boyfriend and there was no romantic intent in those stories. He is just my friend; there is no such relationship whatsoever,’ Zakaria stated in his clarification video, as quoted from TikTok @soal_unsrat.

‘I also apologise for my stories. As an individual, I apologise deeply, and I apologise for spreading these photos on social media. I offer my sincerest apologies. Thank you,’ he added.