Political Analyst Says 'Londo Ireng' Label Should Be Aimed at Corrupt Officials, Not Critics

Political analyst Dedi Kurnia Syah has stated that President Prabowo Subianto’s use of the term ‘londo ireng’ to label critics of his government was misdirected. The Executive Director of Indonesia Political Opinion argued that the label should instead be applied to corrupt officials or former officials.

‘Londo ireng, as an analogy for a traitor, should be directed at figures like Dadan Hindayana, Nadiem Makarim, and anyone else who has been proven corrupt,’ he said when contacted on Monday, 27 July 2026.

Dedi assessed that the President’s labelling of his own citizens was concerning. He suspected the misdirected label emerged due to the worrying quality of the President’s inner circle. ‘This statement also indicates that no one can influence the aesthetics of the President’s speech,’ he added.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto used the term ‘londo ireng’ to describe critics of his policies during a speech at the 28th anniversary celebration of the National Awakening Party (PKB) on Thursday, 23 July 2026. In his speech, Prabowo said there are Indonesians who enjoy serving and being loyal to other nations. ‘That is what we used to call londo ireng, those who joined the Dutch to fight against us. These londo ireng still exist today,’ Prabowo stated at the Jakarta Convention Center on Thursday evening.

The Gerindra Party Chairman then claimed that this group now appears in various forms. ‘Journalists, reporters, analysts, NGOs,’ Prabowo said.

Secretary General of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Bayu Wardhana, demanded that President Prabowo Subianto apologise for likening journalists to ‘londo ireng’. According to Bayu, the metaphor discredits the journalistic profession as a critical group.

Londo Ireng is interpreted as an Indonesian who is considered a traitor, a defector, or someone who defends foreign interests over their own nation. ‘The President should apologise for this and improve his speeches,’ Bayu said via WhatsApp message on Friday, 24 July 2026.

Bayu stated that the ‘londo ireng’ label is a baseless accusation, as journalists work to report facts, not foreign interests. He cited the example of journalists reporting on food poisoning cases linked to the free nutritious meal programme, a priority initiative of Prabowo. He urged the Head of State to view such reporting as constructive criticism rather than a personal attack. ‘The President should not attack the messenger, but fix the bad facts, for instance by improving the management of the free nutritious meal programme,’ he said.