Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – Khaerudin Hamid Ali Sulaiman, the legal counsel for the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) student, identified as SSS, has issued an apology to President Prabowo Subianto and former President Jokowi regarding a meme his client uploaded. According to Khaerudin, the student regrets creating and sharing the image depicting Prabowo and Jokowi kissing.
"We sincerely apologize on behalf of our client who uploaded the meme and stirred up public controversy," Khaerudin stated at the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) building on Sunday, May 11, 2025.
He further explained that the suspect's parents would provide guidance following the postponement of their child's detention by the police. He also mentioned ITB's commitment to support and mentor the student on campus. Khaerudin declined to comment further on the specifics of his client's case.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Public Relations Bureau of the Indonesian National Police, Brig. Gen. Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko Truno clarified that the detention was postponed at the request of the suspect, their parents, legal counsel, and ITB. Additionally, the Chair of the House of Representatives Commission III, Habiburokhman, submitted a letter of guarantee to the police advocating for the postponement.
Nurlaela Arief, the Director of Communication and Public Relations at ITB, affirmed that the university will provide academic and character guidance to SSS, a student from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design. "ITB is committed to educating, supporting, and developing the student into a responsible adult," Nurlaela said in a written press release on Sunday.
Trunoyudo detailed that the investigation commenced with a police report filed on March 24, 2025, leading to the issuance of an Investigation Order on April 7, 2025.
During the investigative process, he continued, the police questioned three witnesses. Furthermore, investigators obtained testimonies from five experts and confiscated evidence from both the witnesses and the suspect.
"The police conducted digital forensic examinations, and the investigators determined that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the investigation," Truno explained.
Following this, the police attempted to apprehend the owner of the X (formerly Twitter) account @reiayanyami in Bandung on May 6, 2025. The student was then taken into custody on May 7 at the Bareskrim detention center.
Initially, the police intended to detain the student until May 26, 2025, but this was later postponed. SSS has been declared a suspect and is facing charges under Article 45 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 27 paragraph (1) and Article 51 paragraph (1) of the Indonesian Law on Information and Electronic Transactions, also known as the ITE Law.
Trunoyudo stated that the student is allegedly involved in the criminal act of manipulating or creating electronic information or documents to appear genuine. "And/or uploading electronic documents in the form of images containing morally offensive content," Trunoyudo elaborated.
The police have confirmed that the student has returned to their parents' home. Brigadier General Truno assured that SSS is in good health despite the period of detention.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2006265/itb-student-apologizes-for-posting-prabowo-jokowi-kissing-mem