Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Coalition of Civil Society for Security Sector Reform highlighted a video of West Jakarta residents supporting the ratification of the revision of the TNI Law, or Indonesian National Army law, in exchange for gifts. A representative of the coalition, Muhammad Isnur, said this method is often used by authoritarian governments to legitimize mistakes and gain public sympathy.
"This is an old attempt to discredit the organic civil society movement," said Isnur when contacted on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Isnur also viewed this method as exploitation of the residents to obtain support for government policies. "This clearly violates the human rights of the residents who are being asked to sign a banner supporting the TNI Law," he said.
A 52-second video showing residents in West Jakarta lining up to receive gifts such as food items surfaced on social media X. In the video, residents who received the gifts were asked to sign a banner that read, "We, the residents of West Jakarta, support the TNI Law."
Deputy Director of Imparsiap Husein Ahmad considered distributing food items to obtain public support as deceitful. "Imitating the statement of the Chief of Army Staff (Maruli Simanjuntak), this method is rude," said Husein.
The Head of the Public Affairs Center of the TNI Headquarters, Brigadier General Kristomei Sianturi, did not respond to Tempo's questions about the video of West Jakarta residents supporting the revised TNI Law. The same goes for the West Jakarta Mayor Uus Kuswanto.