Slander Case, Bahar bin Smith to Face Police Questioning Today

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Police headquarters is set to question Muhammad Bahar, publically known as Bahar bin Smith, today on December 3. Bahar was recently reported to the police for allegedly slandering the Indonesian president.

“The person involved will be questioned as a witness to a case related to suspected hate speech and public slander made against President Joko Widodo,” said Indonesian National Police spokesman Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo in a text message Tempo received yesterday.

Two police reports were filed against Bahar bin Smith, with the first report filed at Police’s criminal investigation department (Bareskrim) by La Komaruddin, meanwhile, on the same day, the second report filed against Bahar was made at the Jakarta Metro Police by Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) legislative hopeful Muannas Alaidi.

Responding to this, Bahar bin Smith said that he will not file a police report against the two; “There is no use in reporting them back, especially people who are backed by the regime in power,” said Bahar bin Smith, who explained that he will arrive at the police headquarters accompanied only by his lawyer.

The Islamic preacher, Bahar bin Smith, was recorded insulting the president at a sermon he delivered during the Maulid Nabi commemoration in Batuceper, Tangerang, on November 17.

The 60-second footage displayed Bahar bin Smith inticing the audience to undo president Jokowi’s pants to confirm whether the president is having his period—mockingly saying that the president was a shemale.

ANDITA RAHMA