Intan Setiawanty, Linda Trianita, Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Chairperson Muhammad Isnur believes that the move by police to force the punk band Sukatani to apologise for the song "Pay Pay Pay" (Bayar Bayar Bayar) is a form of silencing freedom of expression.
According to Isnur, this is dangerous for the development of art and democracy in Indonesia. "This is an anti-critic action and part of the silencing of the expressions of opinion and art", Isnur told Tempo when contacted on Thursday February 20.
Isnur emphasised that singing, art and freedom of expression are protected by law. Therefore, the police's actions in threatening the musicians are a violation of the law. Isnur also noted that these actions demonstrate the authoritarian character of the police. "This is part of an authoritarian picture portrayed by the police and President Prabowo [Subianto]", he said.
The YLBHI is asking the police to be more open to criticism and not act repressively. He reminded them that threatening or forcing someone to erase their work is legal violation committed by the authorities.
National Police (Polri) Public Information Bureau Public Relations Division Head Brigadier General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said that the police never ordered Sukatani to withdraw their song entitled 'Pay Pay Pay' from music streaming platforms. Andiko claimed that the National Police are not anti-criticism and continue to strive to become a modern organisation.
"Commitment and consistency, the Polri continues to work as a modern organisation, namely a Polri that is not anti-criticism", Andiko told Tempo in a text message on Thursday.
Andiko said an attitude of accepting the criticism has become the spirit of the police under the leadership of National Police Chief (Kapolri) General Listyo Sigit Prabowo. He said that the National Police chief often reminded his officers to accept every input and criticism. "The Kapolri always emphasises this to all ranks", he said.
Earlier, Sukatani, a punk genre band from Purbalingga, announced the withdrawal of "Pay Pay Pay" from all music streaming platforms. "Pay Pay Pay" is one of the songs released from the "Dark Excitement" (Gelap Gempita) album, which contains criticism of the police.
The announcement was conveyed by Sukatani band members on the social media account @sukatani.band earlier on Thursday. In the upload band members Muhammad Syifa Al Lufti (guitarist) and Novi Citra Indriyati (vocalist) made an apology to the National Police chief and the police as an institution.
They appear without masks, something they have never been done before. Up until now, the two Sukatani band members have chosen to remain anonymous in public.
"We apologise profusely to the National Police chief and Polri as an institution for our song creation with the title 'Pay Pay Pay', which in the lyrics (there are the words) pay the police that we have sang which went viral on several social media platforms", Lutfi said.
In the statement he said the song was created as criticism of police officers who violate the rules. "I created the song for unscrupulous police who violate the rules", he said.
He also asked social media users to remove videos or songs that have been circulated on social media. "Because if there is a risk in the future it is not the responsibility of us from Sukatani", Lufti said.
At the end of the statement, they claimed that the apology and withdrawal of the song was done without coercion from anyone. "The statement that we have made is truthfully without coercion from any party, from anyone, we did it consciously and voluntarily", they said.
– Nandito Putra contributed to writing this article.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "YLBHI Kecam Polisi yang Paksa Sukatani Minta Maaf: Pembungkaman Kebebasan Berekspresi".]
