Prabowo Labels Critical Journalists and NGOs as 'Londo Ireng'

President Prabowo Subianto’s speech has once again drawn criticism after he likened journalists, analysts, and non-governmental organisations who criticise his policies to ‘londo ireng’. The term, historically used to label indigenous people who collaborated with Dutch colonial forces, was employed during his address at the 28th anniversary celebration of the National Awakening Party (PKB) on Thursday evening. Prabowo claimed that such groups, now appearing in different guises including the press and civil society, still exist today and questioned their funding sources, asking who pays their electricity and mobile phone bills. He further alleged a large-scale campaign to destabilise the nation, mocking predictions that Indonesia would collapse month after month.

In response, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) demanded a public apology from the President. Secretary-General Bayu Wardhana stated that the metaphor discredits the journalistic profession as a critical group and constitutes a baseless accusation, as journalists work to report facts rather than serve foreign interests. He urged the President to view reporting on issues such as food poisoning cases in his free nutritious meal programme as constructive criticism rather than a personal attack. Similarly, the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) in Surakarta warned that linking journalists to the ‘londo ireng’ narrative threatens press freedom and could foster a negative stigma, particularly when media scrutiny of government policy is framed as siding with foreign powers.

The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) assessed that Prabowo’s remarks were not merely a joke but a deliberate labelling of critical groups as disloyal to the nation and implied traitors. YLBHI Chairman Muhammad Isnur cautioned that such statements from the head of state carry political consequences, potentially emboldening officials, political buzzers, and supporters to surveil, intimidate, and even criminalise these groups. The foundation emphasised that the ‘londo ireng’ label betrays the constitutional mandate, citing the 1945 Constitution which places sovereignty in the hands of the people and guarantees freedom of expression and oversight of the government. YLBHI called on the press, academics, students, and civil society to strengthen solidarity and refuse to bow to intimidation, asserting that the president is merely a temporary mandate holder and must not use the people’s mandate to attack the people.