TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Director of human rights watchdog Imparsial, Gufron Mabruri, stressed that the Defense Ministry's post on its X account @Kemhan_RI on January 21, which included the hashtag #PrabowoGibran2024, showed a serious problem of a misuse of state facilities for political purposes to win Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in the upcoming presidential election.

“The misuse of the Defense Ministry's public relations media for Prabowo's political interests is not the first incident,” Gufron said in a written statement on Tuesday, January 23.

Earlier, he recalled that the day after the first presidential debate, which focused on defense issues, the Defense Ministry advertised Prabowo's achievements as the minister on a full page in one of the mass media.

“Digital traces of misuse of positions and programs of state institutions were also discovered when Prabowo inaugurated several drilling wells in Suro Village, Banyumas Regency, Central Java,” he added.

On that occasion, Prabowo said that he hoped for the support of the residents of Suro Village and pledged to provide loans to people who needed business capital. “That’s not the main task of the Ministry of Defense,” Gufron said.

Several of the ministry's programs, such as social assistance, also practically benefit the political interests of Prabowo-Gibran's candidacy. These actions have undermined the hard-won democracy achieved in 1998 and could not be justified. “Strict action and sanctions must be taken,” he underlined.

Imparsial also called on President Joko Widodo or Jokowi to immediately dismiss Prabowo from his position as Defense Minister.

Gufron further emphasized that the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the General Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) must also take firm action against electoral frauds committed by Prabowo Subianto through the abuse of authority, facilities, and positions for his political interests in this year’s presidential election.

IKHSAN RELIUBUN

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