Foreign Observer Suspects Russian Interference in Indonesia's Election

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 2024 elections' voting day has ended with quick counts by numerous agencies showing Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka leading against their contenders with over 50 percent of votes bagged. Amidst this festivities of democracy, a certain observer expresses concern over Russian influence in the election.   

In a column dubbed 'The threat of Russian interference in Indonesia's elections is real' published by Euro News, co-founder, and executive director of the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) Ross Burley wrote that as the world's third biggest democracy, Indonesia was preparing up for massive elections, with a high potential for the negative impact of disinformation, in particular state-sponsored disinformation.

"For years, there is one state actor that has attracted more attention on this issue than others. Russia," he wrote.

The issue of Russian influence on Indonesia's past elections has indeed become more of a concern, with allegations that Moscow, even outside the election cycles, plays a huge role in provoking discontent, polarizing societies from Ukraine to the UK, India to Indonesia, as they see fit. 

"From Brexit to Trump, from Kenya to France, Russia's meddling hand in elections through disinformation is a widely reported phenomenon," Burley wrote.

Concerns have been raised before about Kremlin activity in Indonesia. Burley said that when he visited several cities in Indonesia during the 2019 election campaign, President Jokowi Widodo raised allegations that foreign forces were assisting his competition using illegal means. The disinformation produced nonstop slander, lies, and hoaxes that confused the people.

Burley went on to write that although some people have claimed that it was a baseless allegation that Jokowi aimed at his competition to discredit them, it is entirely rational to believe that there was truth behind his concerns. 

Burley mentioned "a famous case in Indonesia that caused an upheaval, related to a conspiracy promoted by a group of well-coordinated social media accounts.

"The controversy was surrounding seven ballot boxes that supposedly came from China. According to the social media posts, they had been tampered with to President Jokowi’s benefit."

The internet was flooded with photos and videos with similar messages, posted by numerous accounts posing as "real" profiles and new platforms.  

Abdul Kadir Karding, deputy chairman of Jokowi’s campaign team, said that by producing hoaxes en masse, the strategy aimed at overturning all data and facts that can influence the people, particularly in voting. It is dangerous because people will gradually get used to fake narratives.

In the column, Burley included a statement from the Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Lyudmila Georgievna Vorobieva. Through the embassy's account, the ambassador said that Russia does not intervene in Indonesia's electoral process. "We underline that Russia’s principal position is not intervening in any domestic affairs and electoral processes in foreign countries, including Indonesia, which is our close friend and important partner."

EURO NEWS | TEMPO

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