Apriadi Gunawan, Medan, North Sumatra – Langkat Police in North Sumatra and journalists from online and printed media have announced their commitment to campaign against hoaxes and fake news in order to maintain security during the regional elections, which will be held on June 27.

Langkat Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Dede Rojudin said on Tuesday that hoaxes related to the gubernatorial and regional elections had created a stir among the public lately.

To fight against hoaxes, the police will constantly keep citizens updated with news surrounding the election, as well as the current situation. They also warn the public to be cautious about rumors and money politics, while encouraging them to actively use their rights to cast their votes.

"I hope that every citizen, especially journalists, will cooperate in our fight against hoaxes," Dede said. Furthermore, the police are also seeking support from public figures and regional figures to curb hoaxes.

Indonesia has recently seen a spate of fake news, ranging from religious-tinged issues to allegations of communism. The most recent arrests were members of the Muslim Cyber Army (MCA) by the National Police, with one of those arrested being a contract lecturer at the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) in Yogyakarta.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/03/14/police-journalists-say-no-to-hoaxes-fake-news.html