PSI Asks Ade Armando to Introspect and Stop Commenting on Party Matters

PSI Deputy Chairman for Politics Bestari Barus has reminded Ade Armando that he has gone too far in meddling in the party’s internal affairs after officially resigning as a cadre.

Instead of commenting on PSI, Bestari believes Ade Armando should reflect on his actions. He stressed that PSI will not get involved in the legal case currently ensnaring Ade over allegations of incitement and hate speech related to the 10th and 12th Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK).

“It would be best for Mr Ade Armando to introspect, sort himself out, and not interfere in PSI’s affairs from now on,” he said when contacted in response to several of Ade’s statements in an interview on the YouTube channel Zulfan Lindan Unpacking on Monday (11/5).

According to Bestari, Ade Armando went too far in that podcast by claiming that there were parties within PSI who had long wanted him out of the party.

“We assess that Ade Armando has gone too far into an area where he has no authority and is not competent,” Bestari stated.

Moreover, he said, since the last Congress in Solo, Ade has never been involved in the party’s central management. Bestari also clarified that previously Ade Armando was just an ordinary cadre who happened to run as a legislative candidate for PSI.

“For the general public’s information, Armando was never involved in managing PSI after the Solo congress. Just an ordinary member who happened to be given the opportunity to become a PSI legislative candidate,” he said.

Previously, a video recording of the podcast went viral in which Ade Armando candidly discussed the reasons for his resignation from the party following his legal case over alleged incitement and hate speech.

In the podcast interview on the YouTube channel Zulfan Lindan Unpacking, Ade revealed that for a long time, there were parties within PSI pressuring for his expulsion.

He mentioned that there were parties within the party who viewed his presence in PSI as disrupting the party’s rebranding efforts led by President Joko Widodo’s youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep.

On that occasion, Ade admitted he did not fully understand the intent behind PSI’s new image.

“If you ask if there was pressure like that, actually, I’ve heard voices within PSI saying that I should be dismissed, expelled,” Ade said.