Senator AWK's Blunder Contributes to Spread of Hoax Content Leading to Racist Attacks
A Kompas journalist in Bali with the initials YS became a victim of slander after her photo was appropriated without permission by an Instagram account. The case escalated when the content was reposted by the social media account of a member of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) of the Republic of Indonesia, Shri I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna alias AWK, on both Instagram and Facebook.
The Beginning
YS initially covered a press conference at the Bali Provincial Police regarding the disclosure of a sexual assault case on Friday (27/3/2026) at 10:00 WITA. The article and photos from the press conference were then published around 12:12 WIB.
Photo Appropriated and Edited
The following day, Saturday (28/3/2026) around 17:13 WITA, YS learned that the Instagram account @kuatbaca had posted news with a title and narrative similar to the article she had written. The account even added an edited photo of YS with an orange circle and black scribbles over the eyes.
According to YS’s account, the photo was her profile picture on the news page. This made it appear as though YS was the perpetrator of the sexual harassment in the news.
Attacked by Netizens, Mental Health Affected
The post immediately received comments laced with bullying and racism. YS admitted that this greatly affected her mental state and work.
“After seeing and reading the content and netizen comments, my mental state immediately dropped, and I could no longer work. This is a heinous slander against me,” said YS on Sunday (29/3/2026).
Repost by DPD RI Member’s Account
The racial attacks on YS’s person intensified on the account of DPD RI member Shri I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna, @aryawedakarna, who reposted the post from @kuatbaca around 18:55 WITA on Instagram and Facebook. AWK’s account reposted it with the added caption “I wonder where the perpetrator is from…”.
AWK’s Clarification and Apology
AWK later provided an explanation regarding the repost. He claimed to have coordinated with journalist YS and the Pena Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) organisation. AWK also issued a clarification and apology.
“And the admin team has already clarified that it was just a repost, without mentioning any specific tribe, right, in that regard,” said AWK when met at the DPD RI Office in Bali Province on Monday (30/3/2026).
AWK revealed that during the mediation process, it was agreed that there was a need to improve standard operating procedures (SOP) in responding to information on social media. He also publicly expressed his apology.
“Going forward, if there is news related to us, we will reconfirm and clarify again. Then, including the second point, I have already publicly apologised if there was any disturbance like that; it’s settled,” explained AWK.
Support for Report to the Press Council
AWK also supported the journalists’ plan to report the @kuatbaca account’s post to the Press Council. According to him, if the news has been shared, it becomes the responsibility of the media that published it.
“If, for example, the news has been shared on online social media, then it’s the responsibility of the media that created it, which is why I support the journalists in reporting @kuatbaca to the Press Council,” clarified AWK.