Bahar bin Smith Reported, Police Search for Video Uploader

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The police are looking for the video uploader of Muhammad Bahar bin Smith’s religious lecture containing insults to President Joko Widodo or Jokowi. The circulating video on social media was first reported to the police by Jokowi Mania (Jokowi’s supporter) group, on November 28.

The Jakarta Police investigator has asked for information from five people. However, there is no definite schedule informed for the summons of Bahar bin Smith.

The Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prabowo Argo Yuwono said that the investigator was looking for the video uploader. “After examining a number of witnesses again. The investigator will schedule the summons (Bahar),” Argo said, Saturday, December 8.

In the report, Jokowi Mania said the lecture reported was performed during the commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday in Batuceper, Tangerang, November 17. But the ongoing investigation at Bareskrim (criminal investigation agency), the National Police Headquarters, involved South Sumatra police investigators.

The Batuceper police chief Comr. Hidayat Iwan Irawan explained that the religious lecture being investigated was performed in Palembang, South Sumatra, two years ago. Bahar bin Smith also lectured in Batuceper, but Iwan stated that the contents of the lecture were not like those circulating on social media.

Iwan added, while in Batuceper, the commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday took place in the village, not in the mosque as seen in the video.

“At 2:30 a.m., I was at the location. I did not understand why it was said to be performed in Batuceper, that was not true,” Iwan said.

TEMPO.CO