Vulgar Mockery From Indonesian Presidential Candidate Prabowo Directed at Candidate Anies Over Calls For Ethical Conduct

By Singgih Wiryono and Novianti Setuningsih for Kompas.com, December 16, 2023

PURBALINGGA, KOMPAS.com – Deputy leader of the presidential election campaign for endorsed candidates Mr. Anies Baswedan and Mr. Muhaimin Iskandar, Sudirman Said, responded to a viral video circulating on social media showing presidential candidate Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Prabowo Subianto, using the expletive phrase “Ndasmu etik!” (Your ethics!) during a meeting of his Great Indonesia  Movement (Gerindra) Party. According to Mr. Sudirman, words such as these should not be spoken by a party leader or a presidential candidate.

“I have received the videos from a lot of friends showing a presidential candidate and a party leader seemingly demeaning the concept of ethical conduct,” said Sudirman in the regional Central Java city of Purbalingga on Saturday (12/16/2023). Sudirman said it is inappropriate to juxtapose the word “ethics” with Javanese expletives such as “ndasmu,” literally “your head”.

Mr. Sudirman also opined that individuals operating in the public realm should not demean ethics, especially someone aspiring to be a national leader. “Why? Because a leader’s value in the public space lies in upholding ethical (conduct), not solely in compliance with the law,” he added. So Mr. Sudirman deeply regrets that the presidential candidate currently contesting the 2024 presidential election is setting a poor example for their supporters. “Hopefully, this is not true, and if it is, then the public has every right to criticize it, especially when the topic of ethical conduct is being damaged so badly,” he remarked.

Claims the comments were said in jest

Spokesperson for presidential candidate Mr. Prabowo Subianto, Mr. Dahnil Anzar, claimed that the phrase “ndasmu etik” (your ethics) used by Prabowo was a joke. The phrase, which went viral on social media platform Twitter/X, was merely made in jest made during an internal Gerindra Party forum. “Mr. Prabowo enjoys joking. That was Prabowo’s joke to Gerindra Party members, it’s one hundred percent a joke,” stated Dahnil in a brief statement on Saturday (12/16/2023).

Dahnil also mentioned that Mr. Prabowo’s relationship with presidential candidate Mr. Anies Baswedan, and presidential candidate Mr. Ganjar Pranowo, is good.

So the phrase “etik ndasmu” was said in a light-hearted manner among close associates. “Mr. Prabowo has a good relationship with Mr. Ganjar and Mr. Anies. It was joking among friends,” he added.

Earlier, a video of Mr. Prabowo mocking the issue of ethical conduct in politics went viral on social media. He mockingly repeated a question directed at him by Mr. Anies Baswedan about ethics during the first presidential debate held on December 12, 2023. “How does Mr. Prabowo feel about ethics? Ethics, ethics, ethics,” said Prabowo. “Ndasmu etik! ((F*&^) your ethics!),” he mocked.

This article is based on: Kata Timnas Anies-Muhaimin soal Viral Video Prabowo Sebut “Ndasmu Etik”

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• https://regional.kompas.com/read/2023/12/17/104436078/gerindra-kaget-video-prabowo-sebut-ndasmu-etik-di-acara-internal-menyebar
• https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2023/12/16/16062291/tanggapi-video-prabowo-sebut-ndasmu-etik-ganjar-masyarakat-bisa-menilai
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• https://tirto.id/apa-arti-ndasmu-etik-yang-diucapkan-prabowo-dan-jadi-viral-gTrT
• https://www.detik.com/jatim/berita/d-7094589/pidato-ndasmu-etik-bocor-dan-viral-prabowo-tidak-perlu-dibesar-besarin