TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Fake information and news are nothing new in Indonesia. Hoaxes are found in almost every era, from President Soekarno to President Jokowi. Fake news often duped both the people and government officials.
A historian at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Asvi Warman Adam said there are many motives behind fake news circulation, ranging from inciting outrage to personal gain.
Fake news stories also concerned President Joko Widodo. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) had planned to issue guidelines for ethical behavior on social media.
The following are high-profile hoaxes that tricked Indonesian presidents, as quoted by Koran Tempo's January 23rd edition.
President Soekarno Era
Married couple Idrus and Markonah claimed to be the King and Queen of Suku Anak Dalam indigenous people in Sumatra in the 1950s. They embarked tours to regions across Indonesia in support of West Irian liberation from Dutch imperialism.
The Palace heard the news. They were invited by a state official to meet with President Soekarno who needed support to liberate West Irian. Idrus and Markonah met with President Soekarno and were treated like honorable guests.
Their identity was revealed when they had a walk in a market in Jakarta. A pedicab driver identified the two since Idrus was his fellow pedicab driver. Markonah was a sex worker. It was the first high-profile hoax that duped Indonesian president.
President Soeharto Era
In the 1970s, an unborn child of Acehnese women Cut Zahara Fona was said to be capable of talking and reciting the Quran. The info shook Indonesia and made it to the newspapers. State official Adam Malik and the first lady Tien Soeharto were also aware of the news. Both summoned Cut Zahara to the Presidential Palace.
Adam and Tien personally heard Cut Zahara's unborn child recite the Quran. The news got even bigger. But a physician named Herman did not believe it, noting that a fetus could not breathe nor make a sound. Consequently, Herman was threatened to be killed by Cut Zahara’s sympathizers. Her lies were finally revealed: she put a tape recorder on her belly.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri Era
In 2002, the Religious Affairs Minister Said Agil Al Munawar claimed that he was told about treasures belonging to Prabu Siliwangi, the King of Padjadjaran, in Batu Tulis, Bogor. He forwarded the info to Megawati. Megawati appointed Said Agil as the leader to dig out the treasures that were said to be enough to pay off the national debts. Said Agil later stopped the excavation. No treasure was found.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) Era
The news about water to fuel conversion (blue energy) in 2008 broke out. The inventor Joko Suprapto presented his innovation before President SBY, securing Rp10 billion to build the blue energy plant in Cikeas, Bogor. The invention was slammed by many, including the Gadjah Mada University, who said that it was all lies. Joko later apologized for being unable to turn water into fuel. He was later named a suspect by Yogyakarta Police.
President Joko Widodo Era
News reporting about 10 million Chinese migrant workers entering Indonesia surfaced in both social media and online media at the end of 2016. The government dismissed the rumor, citing that Indonesia only houses 21,000 Chinese migrant workers of a total 74,000 foreign workers. The fake news story prompted President Joko Widodo to revive the plan to establish the National Cyber Agency.
HUSSEIN ABRI | ISTMAN MP | SOURCES
