Mayor of Samarinda Denies Involvement in Protest Against East Kalimantan Governor
Samarinda — The Mayor of Samarinda, Andi Harun, has denied involvement in the protest titled ‘Aksi Damai 215’ held on Thursday (21/5) against the Governor of East Kalimantan, Rudy Mas’ud.
“I have watched several video contents related to the news of Aksi Damai 215. There is indeed content attempting to distort the narrative; clearly, this is irresponsible, fails to meet professional journalistic standards, and is fabricated,” said Andi Harun in Samarinda on Saturday.
This denial comes in response to the spread of video clips on social media. In the footage, one of the protest participants can be heard shouting the name of the Mayor of Samarinda.
The former East Kalimantan legislator noted indications that infiltrators may have deliberately manipulated public opinion through these short videos.
“Upon closer inspection, it appears there were individuals who were aware and intentionally arranged questions for the protest participants regarding my name,” he said. These questions then triggered spontaneous responses from one or two participants on the ground.
Andi Harun emphasised that certain parties are intentionally using this moment to pit him against the Governor of East Kalimantan, creating the illusion of a feud.
“It is suspected that this is a deliberate attempt to incite conflict between myself and the Governor,” he explained. However, he assured that his working relationship and communication with the Governor remain excellent, particularly regarding government affairs and regional development.
He expressed confidence that the Governor of East Kalimantan would be wise in analysing the situation. “If this were happening to me, the way to analyse it is simple: look for who stands to benefit the most,” he said.
Andi Harun asserted that he has no interest, let alone any benefit, from the political unrest being attempted. He firmly rejected the idea that genuine public aspirations are being politicised to attack his reputation.
“Do not allow this to be diverted into a political issue; it is untrue. I have been in politics for 30 years and have never used unintellectual or unfair methods in politics,” he emphasised.
Nevertheless, he stated that he continues to respect the public’s right to express their opinions, provided it is done in an orderly manner without sacrificing regional stability. “I urge that the expression of aspirations must not disturb unity or the conducive atmosphere of the region, as that is the primary foundation for running the wheels of government,” said Andi Harun.