TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police has arrested a suspected creator of hoax news on seven containers of cast ballots for the presidential election in April 2019.

“Yes, we have arrested one suspect in Bekasi, and the investigation is currently underway led by a team of the police’s criminal investigation unit,” said National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo when asked for confirmation, Tuesday, January 8.

However, Dedi was reluctant to detail the suspect's initial name. The identity of the hoax creator would be released after the investigation, he added.

As reported earlier, news regarding seven containers storing cast ballots in Tanjung Priok Port made viral on social media. Thus, the General Election Commission (KPU) visited the port in response to the issue and released that the information was a hoax. Several people then filed a report to the police’s criminal investigation unit.

Dedi explained the police tracked the creator as well as buzzers of the false news. The creator was said to be the most responsible person, while the buzzer team was considered to be the first who generated it to become viral on social media.

“The main focus of the police’s cyber team is to track the creator and buzzers,” said Dedi, adding that they would be charged with the Information and Electronic Transactions or Cyber Law (UU ITE).

The police had named four suspects in the cast ballots hoax case. The other three suspects had been earlier caught in several regions, namely HY in Bogor, LS in Balikpapan, and J in Brebes. The three were buzzers or active spreader of the misleading information and would be charged with 5 years in jail.

ANDITA RAHMA