PSI Refuses to Provide Legal Aid to Grace Natalie in JK Video Case, What is the Reason?

Jakarta – PSI’s daily chairman, Ahmad Ali, stated that the party will not provide legal assistance to PSI’s Board of Trustees Secretary, Grace Natalie, after she was reported to the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri).

Grace was reported to the police regarding the controversy over an edited video of a sermon by Indonesia’s 10th and 12th Vice President, Jusuf Kalla (JK), some time ago.

Ali emphasised that Grace Natalie’s actions or statements in this case are in the personal realm and outside the party’s affairs.

“The statement made by a party member—say, by Ms Grace—is a personal statement that the Indonesian Solidarity Party, in the context of friendship and companionship, provides personal assistance,” Ali told reporters at the PSI DPP office in Jakarta, quoted on Wednesday, 6 May 2026.

Therefore, Ali emphasised that the party will not provide legal assistance to Grace in facing this case.

“So, institutionally, we assure that we will not provide party institutional legal assistance because these are matters that must be accounted for personally,” he explained.

Previously reported, the controversy over the edited video sermon of Indonesia’s 10th and 12th Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) has entered a new phase. Dozens of Islamic mass organisations (ormas) united under the Alliance of Islamic Ormas for Religious Harmony have officially reported several figures to Bareskrim Polri.

The three names reported are Ade Armando, Permadi Arya, and Grace Natalie. The report has been registered under number LP/B/185/V/2026/SPKT/BARESKRIM POLRI dated 4 May 2026.

A representative of the reporter from LBH Syarikat Islam/SEMMI, Gurun Arisastra, emphasised that this legal step was taken after they assessed there to be a narrative deemed to mislead the public.

“I, Gurun Ari Sastra, am one of the reporters in this case from the Legal Aid Institute of the Indonesian Muslim Students’ Association and the Legal Aid Institute of Syarikat Islam, along with LBH Muhammadiyah, Hidayatullah, AFKN, and other organisations, have reported three figures: Ade Armando, then Permadi Arya, and also Grace Natalie,” he told reporters, quoted on Tuesday, 5 May 2026.

According to him, the issue stems from the circulation of JK’s sermon video that was only shown in part, thus triggering perceptions deemed incomplete in society.