PAN Criticises Amien Rais: We Reject Politics of Slander and Hoaxes

In this post-truth era, PAN rejects the politics of slander, hoaxes, and hate speech because it can damage democracy, cause social fragmentation, and eliminate the value of unity as a nation,” said Viva Yoga to reporters on Monday (4/5/2026). Viva assessed Amien Rais’s statement as a personal attack rather than one focused on policy. He said this could damage the democratic system. “Mr Amien Rais’s statement is academically closer to an ad hominem attack, that is, attacking the person, not the substance of the policy. Of course, this can lower the quality of democratic discourse,” said Viva. “In the theory of deliberative political communication, healthy criticism must be based on arguments, data, and public policy. Freedom of opinion is not unlimited freedom. According to John Stuart Mill, there is the ‘harm principle’ that must be considered, where freedom is limited when it harms others,” he continued. He said attacking someone’s sexual orientation violates principles of humanity. He stated that the statement by the 1998-2004 MPR Chairman is not relevant to evaluating government policy performance. “In modern political ethics, there is an important principle concerning human dignity. Attacking sexual orientation can be seen as violating the principle of human dignity and is not relevant to evaluating public performance,” he said. Viva said the government is not anti-criticism. However, he stressed that criticism conveyed must be based on data and scientific evidence, not sourced from gossip. “According to PAN, the government is not anti-criticism. In fact, it needs criticism as sharp as a razor and as hard as steel so that there is a check and balances process in democratic life. Criticism is a healthy vitamin for the government,” said Viva. “But criticising policy should ideally be based on clear data, logical and scientific arguments, not sourced from gossip, hoaxes, or picked up from the rubbish. That will cause pollution in Indonesia’s democratic air,” he added. Amien Rais’s Words Amien Rais said freedom of opinion is regulated by law. “Yes, so that’s how it is with me. First, I am certainly convinced that democracy runs well if the freedom to express opinions guaranteed by our constitution is not restricted or suppressed,” said Amien when met after the Ummat Party National Congress in Sleman, as reported by detikJogja on Sunday (3/5). According to him, Indonesia is a democratic country, so every individual is free to express opinions. Even if, said Amien Rais, it contradicts the authorities and other people’s groups. “Well, then, what is a democratic country, people expressing opinions is allowed. Contradicting the official authorities, contradicting other people’s groups and so on. But what, so the point of conflict, the point of difference is that the person concerned is with the fate of the nation,” he said.