Rumor of Communist PKI Jokowi Looms over Indonesia Election
Translator
Ricky Mohammad Nugraha
Editor
Petir Garda Bhwana
Senin, 18 Maret 2019 10:32 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jokowi – Ma’ruf Amin campaign team (TKN) deputy secretary Verry Surya Hendrawan admits that the rumor of Jokowi being an Indonesian communist party (PKI) member continues to loom over the incumbent’s electability in the 2019 presidential election.
Referring to the latest poll by Saiful Mujani Research Center (SMRC), Verry said that 6 percent of the population continues to believe the false narrative.
“The bombardment of the PKI rumor is believed by some Indonesians. It is our homework to minimize this rumor,” said Verry at Tempo on Monday, March 18.
Read also: Jokowi Campaign Team Says They're Overwhelmed by Hoaxes
Verry argued that the rumor has somewhat influenced members of the public despite the president himself constantly denying the allegations in public.
“Repeated exposure formed the perception and made it into a post-truth,” he said.
The same was expressed by TKN member Moeldoko who said that this PKI rumor has been denied by Jokowi numerous times but suspects another that the continuous exposure to the slander caused an anomaly among the Indonesian population. “An anomaly broke out among the population, the loss of logic. This caused the post-truth era. People believe it because of its massive reporting,” said Moeldoko.
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