Mass-Produced Hoax Meant to Discredit Elections, says Mahfud MD
Translator
Editor
20 February 2019 10:57 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Constitutional Court Chairman Mahfud MD suspects a source is mass-producing and distributing hoax and fake information to discredit the 2019 General Elections (Pemilu).
‘There are movements that are intentionally meant to create disruption, such as hoax producers that always distribute false news. This is troubling and diminishes public trust toward the election,” said Mahfud MD on Tuesday, February 19, after attending a national dialogue in Tugu Station, Yogyakarta.
He argues that this massive movement is well-organized and is proven by the number of clarifications that are not able to suppress hoaxes that continue to emerge among members of the public.
Read also: Mahfud MD: Election Has Become a Hostility Event
“Despite being debunked, [the hoaxes] are constantly published so less-fortunate people in time will start to believe the hoax,” he said.
The “Dialog Kebangsaan” at Tugu Station in Yogyakarta is the fifth chapter from a string of public dialogues led by Mahfud MD. Previous dialogues were held at Merak Station, Gambir, Cirebon, and Purwokerto.
“Someone said that this movement is a form of campaign. I can honestly say that we did indeed come to campaign, but not for certain political sides but campaigning for the nation,” said Mahfud MD.
ANTARA
