President Prabowo and the 'Londo Ireng' Metaphor

On Friday, 24 July 2026, during a speech commemorating the 28th anniversary of the National Awakening Party (PKB) in Jakarta, President Prabowo employed the metaphor ‘londo ireng’. The term derives from two words: ‘londo’, referring to the Dutch or a foreigner, and ‘ireng’, which means ‘black’ in Javanese. In Indonesian history, ‘londo ireng’ was a term used for African people brought by the colonial government to serve as soldiers. These individuals were recruited as troops for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and were used to maintain Dutch power in the Indonesian colony. President Prabowo used ‘londo ireng’ to describe Indonesians who are keen to serve and be loyal to other nations. According to the President, Indonesians who once sided with the Dutch to fight against Indonesia were called ‘londo ireng’. Although these historical figures no longer exist because Indonesia is independent, Prabowo employed the term as a metaphor, believing that some Indonesians still behave like ‘londo ireng’. In linguistic studies, metaphor is a fundamental element of the human cognitive system. It is not merely a figure of speech but a domain of thought concerning emotions, society, human character, language, and the nature of life and death. These metaphors construct the cognitive framework of social knowledge and worldview. The metaphor expressed by a president clearly points to Prabowo’s past experiences, used as a comparison to express a particular intention through similarity. The ‘londo ireng’ metaphor demonstrates physical similarity based on the skin colour of the African KNIL soldiers. This metaphor would not be problematic if uttered by people chatting in a coffee shop. It becomes an issue precisely because it was spoken by the President of the Republic of Indonesia. Moreover, President Prabowo explicitly stated to whom the metaphor was directed, firmly indicating it was aimed at reporters or journalists who prioritise the interests of other nations over Indonesia. The metaphor is considered to build a negative narrative because the President is perceived as demeaning the journalistic profession. If journalists who reveal facts and criticise government performance are viewed as a threat rather than a check on government work, this will certainly have a detrimental impact on press freedom and democratic life in Indonesia. In linguistic studies, the President’s statement through this metaphor is creatively used to deny a person’s humanity and is deliberately employed as an expression of hatred. A metaphor can degrade human dignity. The ‘londo ireng’ metaphor produced by President Prabowo and directed at journalists represents a deliberate attempt to diminish the role of reporters through negative labelling. When the President of the Republic of Indonesia makes such a statement, the metaphor carries a pejorative meaning as it is considered a violation of Law No. 40 of 1999 on the Press. The state, through its leader, is obliged to create an environment that allows the press to work freely, safely, professionally, and responsibly. However, the president’s accusation against the journalistic profession via the ‘londo ireng’ metaphor is deemed baseless and inappropriate for a president to utter. Consequently, the ‘londo ireng’ metaphor, initially considered a critique by President Prabowo against a specific profession, has backfired, becoming a stigmatisation or negative narrative against journalists performing their public oversight function. The President’s statement is seen as a potential intimidation against reporters engaged in critical reporting and is also considered disrespectful of press freedom. In critical discourse analysis, who speaks and what they speak about is a crucial focus, especially when the speaker is a national leader, particularly a president. This is compounded when the subject is the journalistic profession, which demands freedom of expression and the exercise of a public oversight function. The ‘londo ireng’ metaphor has demonstrated that a national leader’s speech can indicate partiality or impartiality towards a profession and the people who practise it.