Ubedilah Badrun Speaks Out After Being Reported Over Criticism of Prabowo
Lecturer at Jakarta State University (UNJ), Ubedilah Badrun, has spoken out regarding the report against her stemming from her statement describing Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka as a burden on the nation.
“Regarding that report, I actually find it strange to hear about such a report amid the deteriorating democracy in Indonesia and the poor image of Indonesia in the international eye,” Ubedilah said when contacted on Sunday (19/4).
Ubedilah stated that such reports worsen the quality and democracy index of Indonesia. This is because she was reported for alleged hate speech, even though her statement was made in an official media podcast.
“I spoke on an official media podcast about the Prabowo-Gibran government critically, based on data and my expertise; there was no hate speech at all. It is my right to express an opinion guaranteed by the constitution,” she said.
Ubedilah opined that if there was anything wrong with her statement, the report should be filed with the Press Council. Not by reporting it to the police.
“So, an official media podcast is a journalistic product. If there is an issue with a journalistic product, it is customary to bring it to the Press Council, not report it to the police,” she said.
According to Ubedilah, reporting to the authorities actually shows an effort to suppress freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution and the law.
“If criticism of power practices is responded to with a police report, it means that civil liberties in Indonesia are under threat. Such practices actually damage democracy and therefore worsen Indonesia’s image in the eyes of the world,” she stated.
On the other hand, Ubedilah also explained her statement calling Prabowo-Gibran a burden on the nation in a podcast on the YouTube channel Forum Keadilan TV.
According to her, she conveyed this because essentially the Prabowo-Gibran regime is the same as the previous regime, which inherited a great many complex problems. From trillions in debt to rampant corruption.
“That certainly becomes a burden on the state, a burden on the state budget. Isn’t the burden of interest at 600 trillion per year a burden?” she said.
Ubedilah also mentioned that the Prabowo-Gibran regime has carried inherent flaws from the start. Namely, from the initial process that the public calls the ‘bastard of the constitution’.
“That is a burden that makes it difficult to gain international trust in the formation of this regime. Moreover, then the policies of Prabowo-Gibran in the last 1.5 years have caused many problems and burdens, from increasing debt, poor governance of MBG, procurement of goods for the Merah Putih Cooperative, reduction of transfers to regions,” she explained.
“Corruption that continues to occur, joining the BoP with America and Israel without prior DPR approval, approving the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade that harms Indonesia much, and so on. Aren’t all these among the heavy burdens for Indonesia towards becoming an advanced country?” she continued.
Ubedilah emphasised that her criticism that Prabowo-Gibran is a burden on the nation is a critique of their political body, not their personal biological body.
“That Prabowo-Gibran is a public body as President and Vice President, they are public officials, state officials. As a citizen, I have the right and am guaranteed by the constitution to express opinions and criticise power,” she said.
Previously, Ubedilah Badrun was reported to the Metro Jaya Regional Police stemming from her statement calling Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka a burden on the nation.
The report was filed by Coordinator of Pemuda Garda Nusantara, Rangga Kurnia Septian, and registered with Number LP/B/2560/IV/2026/SPKT/POLDA METRO JAYA dated 13 April 2026.
“Yes, it is true that PMJ received a public report on Monday, 13 April 2026, regarding alleged hate speech on electronic media,” said the Head of Public Relations of Metro Jaya Regional Police, Kombes Budi Hermanto, to reporters on Tuesday (14/4).