Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid has challenged President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to prove that he is not the "King of Lip Service" as he was dubbed in a recent Twitter posting by the University of Indonesia (UI) Student Executive Council (BEM).
Hamid made the request in response to the alleged hacking of several WhatsApp and social media accounts belonging to UI BEM leaders. According to Hamid, Widodo should prove that he is not the King of Lip Service by protecting those who have different political views from the government.
"If President Jokowi does not want to be labeled the King of Lip Service then he must demonstrate this with a real commitment in the form of policies which protect and guarantee freedom of expression and opinion, including protecting those with different political views from the government", said Hamid in a release on Monday June 28.
Hamid said that the perpetrators of the hacks must be dealt with justly, transparently and independently and punished in accordance with prevailing laws based on sufficient evidence.
He said that the government must also ensure that law enforcement officials investigate the alleged hacking of the UI BEM WhatsApp and social media accounts in a transparent, accountable and clear manner.
"The alleged hacking suffered by several student activists and UI BEM leaders also represents a part of the muzzling of criticism which violates the right to freedom of expression and opinion", he said.
Earlier, several UI BEM WhatsApp and social media accounts were allegedly hacked. The alleged hacking began yesterday and has continued through until today, Monday June 28.
Several days earlier the UI BEM dubbed Widodo the "The King of Lip Service" and the "King of Bragging", saying that Widodo never keeps his promises.
UI BEM Chairperson Leon Alvinda Putra said that the WhatsApp account belonging to the UI BEM's Public Relations Bureau Head, Tiara Shafina, has not been able to be accessed since 12.56 am.
UI BEM Deputy Chairperson Yogie Sani's account was also hacked. According to Putra, Sani's WhatsApp account cannot be accessed and he received a notification that the account is being used by another mobile phone. The hack occurred at around 7.11 am.
He also said that there was an attempt by an unidentified party to break into a Telegram account belonging to UI BEM Social Affairs Coordinator Naifah Uzlah at 2.15 am.
Then on Sunday June 27 at around 9.45 pm the Instagram account belonging to UI BEM Propaganda and Action Department Head Syahrul Badri was allegedly blocked after uploading an earlier summons by the UI rectorate to the UI BEM leadership over the King of Lip Service posting. (mts/bmw)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Amnesty Minta Jokowi Buktikan Bukan King of Lip Service".]
