Police Clarify Issues on Badge Awards for People Reporting Social Media Crimes

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police Head of the Public Information Division Comr. Ahmad Ramadhan asserted that the plan to honor badge awards for people who actively report criminal acts committed on social media was still a mere plan.

“It is still being planned. We are calculating what nominations to be given for people who receive the award,” said Ramadhan in today’s press conference, March 17.

He explained that the award can likely be given based on the quality or quantity of the person who provides information to the National Police's Cyber Crime Directorate. “It's not final yet, but it's already in the planning stage,” he added.

Previously, the National Police through its Instagram account uploaded a photo of the award, stating that people who are active in reporting criminal acts on social media will be honored with the badge.

The plan met with criticism from Amnesty International Indonesia as it has the potential to scare people off from expressing an opinion, especially a critical one, against a state official.

Amnesty International Indonesia director Usman Hamid argued that the plan to grant the badge awards could trigger social conflicts. He was worried that the arrest of a Slawi resident who criticized Solo Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka on social media would recur. 

FRISKI RIANA