TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan's attorney, Juniver Girsang, clarified that the police report made by his client against Lokataru Director Haris Azhar and KontraS Coordinator Fatia Maulida was not a form of silencing activists. Juniver said the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment often receives activists for discussion.

“He has told me many times that he (Luhut) is responsive to criticism, as long as it is constructive criticism,” Juniver told Tempo, Wednesday, September 22, 2021.

He argued that criticisms voiced by Haris and Fatia were destructive as they aimed at discrediting Luhut. The police report was filed as lessons for the two activists.

Luhut reported Haris and Fatia to the Jakarta Metro Police on Wednesday, September 22. Both are suspected of committing crimes of defamation, reporting false news, and/or spreading slander.

The alleged crime was based on the video uploaded on Haris’ YouTube channel in which Luhut was said to be involved in the mining business in Papua.

In the video, Fatia Maulida and Haris Azhar talked about the results of studies conducted by organizations, such as KontraS, Walhi, Jatam, YLBHI, and Pusaka regarding the business of military officials behind the gold mining business or exploitation plan in Wabu Block, Intan Jaya of Papua.

Read: Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan Files Police Report against Haris Azhar

M YUSUF MANURUNG