Reasons Behind Expanded Attacks Leading to Ade Armando's Resignation from PSI
Social media activist Ade Armando has resigned as a member of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI). Ade revealed the reason for his resignation from the elephant party was due to attacks against him now expanding.
Ade’s resignation as a PSI cadre was announced during a press conference with PSI Daily Chairman Ahmad Ali at the PSI DPP office in Central Jakarta on Tuesday (5/5). Ade stated that his resignation as a cadre was not due to a conflict with PSI.
“Through this press conference, I state that I am resigning from PSI, yes. There is no conflict between me and PSI, but I am resigning, in my opinion, for the common good,” Ade said.
While being a PSI cadre, Ade said he often became the target of attacks from various parties. Those attacks were caused by the statements and comments he made.
“So far, I have too often become the target of attacks due to my statements, my comments, my criticisms of various parties,” he said.
Ade worried that what he said could affect PSI’s future. Ade said the party with Chairman Kaesang Pangarep actually still wanted to be together.
“The problem is, as I said earlier, those who must now be responsible are not only me, because the attacks have been expanded, from attacks against me also against my friends, including, for example, Mrs Grace,” he said.
“On the other hand, PSI’s leadership has always said that they are always willing or they are always with me. But it’s not fair if the gentlemen and ladies in PSI also have to bear the consequences of what I say,” he added.
The Letter That Made Ade Armando Resign from PSI
Behind his resignation from PSI, Ade mentioned that someone sent a letter to PSI Daily Chairman Ahmad Ali, stating that someone would not support PSI if he was still there.
“Even, perhaps Mr Ali can tell, there are people who send letters to Mr Ali and say that, this is not Mr Ali complaining, but we read the letters together which say that, ‘We can’t while Ade Armando is still there, we won’t support PSI’,” Ade said.
According to Ade, this was the impact of the report against him to the police by 40 Islamic mass organisations related to the alleged case of cutting speeches by the 10th and 12th Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Jusuf Kalla (JK). Ade assessed that PSI’s name was also attacked from that case.
“There are 40 Islamic organisations or figures under Mr Din Syamsuddin, if I’m not mistaken, they came to the police and reported me. Then there was one from Ambon, then another group of organisations. And on social media, the attacks are extraordinary. And even involving big names, famous people who got involved, even Mr Din Syamsuddin, in my opinion, is extraordinary, extraordinary from above. But the attacks are not only towards me. For me, for the first time, the attacks were directed at PSI,” he said.
Ade suspected that there were parties deliberately wanting to ‘finish off’ him and PSI. “I sense that there is indeed an intentional effort in a group to finish me off and then finish off PSI,” he said.
In addition, Ade believed that the parties reporting him to the police would not withdraw their report. Ade emphasised that he never incited or provoked any party to hate JK.
“I also believe that the report against me will not be withdrawn, it will continue. But I feel innocent. I never incited, provoked, or stirred up anyone, even to hate JK, never,” he said.
PSI Accepts Ade Armando’s Resignation
PSI has accepted Ade Armando’s resignation as a cadre. PSI said that the party’s interests and Ade Armando’s personal interests need to be protected together.
“As I said earlier, the long discussion conducted by the DPP and Bang Ade Armando yesterday then considered all aspects of possibilities that might happen in the future. On the other hand, we also realise that for the party’s interests and personal interests, these two things must then be protected together,” said Mad Ali at the moment with Ade.
Mad Ali said Ade Armando’s resignation from PSI was his own initiative. According to him, Ade was worried that the police report against him would impact PSI.
“Bang Ade invited us to discuss to convince us that if this is not accepted immediately, it could have a wider impact on the party. Because previous experiences, Bang Ade’s statements were always linked to PSI. This time it’s different because, as Bang Ade said earlier, this has been done with massive reporting,” he said.
Based on that, PSI then accepted Ade Armando’s consideration to resign as a cadre. Ali said Ade’s resignation was a reasonable step.
“Then, on that basis, we then accepted that consideration because on the other hand, what Bang Ade said is a reality and makes sense,” he said.