Hanaa Septiana, Jakarta – President of the Student Executive Board or BEM of FISIP Unair Tuffahati Ulayyah admitted to receiving terror and threats through messaging applications on WhatsApp and messages on his social media accounts.
Tuffa stated that he has requested protection from the Legal Aid Institute or LBH Surabaya regarding the intimidation. "I am currently coordinating with LBH for the protection of my account," said this anthropology student on Monday, October 28, 2024.
The intimidation and terror came after FISIP Unair BEM put up a satire poster with congratulatory remarks to President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Tuffa mentioned that the terror began on Saturday night, October 26, 2024. The terror came in the form of short messages, phone calls, and video calls from unknown numbers on WhatsApp. In addition, his personal Instagram account and FISIP Unair also received numerous direct messages from accounts suspected to be buzzers.
According to Tuffa, the messages conveyed similar sentences. Such as glorifying President Jokowi's programs and threatening statements.
"The narratives conveyed are more or less the same, for example stating that Jokowi is good and has successfully implemented programs. There are also threatening messages," said Tuffa.
Prior to this, the photo of the satirical congratulatory poster to Prabowo-Gibran uploaded on social media went viral. Consequently, FISIP Unair's Dean Bagong Suyanto issued a freeze order for the BEM administration.
This freeze order sparked controversy, prompting the Minister of Research and Technology and Higher Education, Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro, to request the cancellation of the freeze order on FISIP Unair BEM.
"Last night, I informed the Rector of Unair to cancel the freeze order on BEM Unair and he said he was ready," said Satryo to the media at the opening of the 2024 Language and Literature Month Exhibition at the Ministry of Elementary and Secondary Education, Jakarta, on Monday, October 28, 2024.
After a meeting between FISIP Unair's Dean Bagong Suyanto and the BEM board, the freeze order was finally lifted. However, Bagong reminded that student criticism must adhere to academic ethics.