Social Affairs Minister: We are Being Beaten Up on Social Media Due to Issue-Mongering

JAKARTA — The Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf, also known as Gus Ipul, stated that his ministry is frequently targeted on social media by parties intentionally manipulating issues. “We are sometimes beaten up in the social media world because of manufactured or processed narratives, which may be part of a deliberate attempt by certain parties to create extraordinary misunderstandings,” said Saifullah during the Anti-Corruption Rally at the Ministry of Social Affairs office in Central Jakarta on Monday (18/05/2026).

He clarified that certain items, such as shoes, were direct gifts from Khofifah to students, rather than being part of a Ministry of Social Affairs procurement process. According to Gus Ipul, information spreading on social media is often only half-true or contains ‘half-truths’. He noted that while photos or events might be real, the accompanying narratives differ from the actual facts on the ground, leading to national-scale misunderstandings.

“If we do not provide clarification or straighten the facts, these distortions will eventually be accepted as the truth,” he added. Gus Ipul acknowledged that the public may not fully understand the complexities of government procurement processes, which are subject to auditing. Consequently, he urged the public to combat the spread of misinformation by helping to correct news that does not align with the facts within the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Public attention has recently been drawn to the procurement of footwear for ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ students, valued at Rp 27 billion. In response, Minister Saifullah Yusuf has approached the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) regarding the matter. Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Social Affairs, Agus Jabo, revealed that a special team’s clarification has identified potential maladministration in the 2025 procurement process for the same footwear.