Indonesian minister's interview misrepresented as him 'criticising journalist over protest support'
A clip from a 2020 interview with an Indonesian government minister has resurfaced in online posts that misleadingly linked it to proposed changes to regional election laws in August 2024. The footage was truncated to remove the full context of the minister and journalist's conversation about the government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The clip, showing a split-screen interview between Indonesian journalist Najwa Shihab and government minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, was shared on TikTok on August 30, 2024.
The post suggested that Luhut criticised Najwa for opposing proposed changes to regional election laws in 2024.
In the interview, Luhut says: "As a citizen, reflect on your actions in such a crisis. Don't act like you're the only hero or the cleanest. This situation is about human lives. It's about humanity."
Above the interview, Indonesian-language text read in part: "Don't create more chaos in this country. Be wise in making decisions. It's not because of your political interests that you think your decision is correct. But also think about the impact. […] Smart, but a provocateur."
Below the clip are symbols associated with a campaign that local media reported was supported by public figures, such as Najwa, opposing changes to regional election laws (archived links here, here and here).
The video was shared after Indonesian lawmakers scrapped a controversial plan to change election rules after thousands rallied in the capital over a move seen to help the outgoing president build a political dynasty (archived link).
Parliament had been preparing to reverse a constitutional court ruling upholding candidate age requirements, which made President Joko Widodo's youngest son -- 29-year-old Kaesang Pangarep -- ineligible for upcoming regional polls.
The uproar came months after Widodo's eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka, 36, was elected as Indonesia's youngest vice president, stoking nepotism accusations.
Similar posts presenting the interview between Najwa and Luhut as having taken place recently were shared elsewhere on TikTok here and here, and Snack Video here, here and here, which were viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
Comments on the posts suggested some users believed Luhut was chastising Najwa for her support of the protests in August 2024.
"Blacklist Najwa Shihab on all TV channels in Indonesia," wrote one user.
Another wrote: "Look at the current state of the demonstration, how many people have become victims, this is a problem of the nation's children being pitted against each other in their own country, I support Mr Luhut, what he said is correct."
But the interview was filmed nearly four years earlier during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pandemic election
A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared clip found a similar video posted on Najwa's official YouTube channel on September 24, 2020 (archived link).
The video was titled, "Luhut: Many people gather because of their lust for power (Part 2) | Mata Najwa".
At the time of the interview, Luhut was responsible for coordinating the government's policy restricting people's movement on the islands of Java and Bali during the Covid-19 pandemic
The clip used in the misleadingly shared clip corresponds to the section beginning at the YouTube video's nine-minute 33-second mark.
Below is a screenshot comparison between the clip in the misleading posts (left) and the YouTube video (right):
In the interview, Najwa asked about concerns regarding rising Covid-19 cases, but Luhut said Indonesia would be safe as long as politicians did not organise large gatherings to satisfy their "lust for power." The interview took place as Indonesia -- the world's third-biggest democracy and fourth-most populous nation -- sought to hold local elections during the pandemic.
His comment about citizens needing to reflect on their actions during a crisis was not directed at Najwa's support for protests in August 2024, but rather about how people conducted themselves during the election.
Local elections were delayed by three months but went ahead on December 9, 2020 despite warnings of a possible spike in coronavirus infections; polling station staff wearing full protective gear enforced social distancing and took voter temperatures (archived link).
AFP has debunked other misleading claims targeting political figures in Indonesia here, here and here.
