Widespread Intimidation From Government Officials, PDI-P Presidential Campaign Team

By Nicholas Ryan Aditya and Krisiandi for Kompas.com, January 16, 2024

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Senior figure in the campaign team of PDI-P endorsed presidential election candidates Mr. Ganjar Pranowo and Prof. Mahfud MD, Mr. Ronny Talapessy, disclosed a range of forms of intimidation is being experience by the Ganjar-Mahfud team in the 2024 presidential election race.

Mr. Ronny said the intimidation had been occurring long before it was publicly broached by PDI-P’s Secretary-General Mr. Hasto Kristiyanto, and the presidential candidate Mr. Ganjar Pranowo.

“In Bali, for example, billboards featuring Mr. Ganjar and running mate Mr. Mahfud MD were removed, and the PDI-P regional offices had been visited by police in the Central Java city of Solo and the East Java city of Pasuruan, among other incidents,” Mr. Ronny told Kompas.com on Monday (15/1/2024).

“The peak was when Ganjar-Mahfud volunteers faced violence from a number of Indonesian armed forces members in the city of Boyolali,” he continued.

The incidents in Bali mentioned by Ronny refers to the removal of Ganjar-Mahfud billboards in Gianyar in the lead up to an official visit tto the area b President Joko Widodo in October 2023.

Meanwhile, in Pasuruan, the PDI-P regional office was visited by several police officers on Thursday (2/11/2023). Ronny emphasized that the intimidation not only targeted the PDI-P candidates but also extended to all village heads in Karanganyar who were summoned by the Central Java Police in November.

The summons was (ostensibly) for a clarification of the use of provincial aid funding from 2020 to 2022. However, Ronny suggested that the summons was politically motivated and aimed at the 2024 presidential election.

He explained why the campaign team believed the summons was politically charged. “The timing of the summons, coinciding with the election, raises questions, and we suspect this is one of the forms of intimidation,” said the PDI-P politician.

He also believed the public was well aware of the forms of intimidation being faced by supporters of specific candidates.

In light of these events, the PDI-P campaign urged the authorities to thoroughly investigate the various intimidations experienced by people supporting its candidates.

“In elections there is a moral and ethical code that must be upheld. And (PDI-P chairwomen) Ms. Megawati has also reminded the people that they are uneasy because of intimidation,” Ronny stated. Finally, he called on law enforcement officials to remain neutral in the 2024 elections.

According to him, this is necessary to ensure a fair and honest election. “Everyone should reflect on and consider carefully this warming, especially those who like to intimidate. The hope is for the election to proceed smoothly and justly,” he concluded.

Previously reported, Mr. Ganjar Pranowo and Prof. Mahfud MD’s intensive campaigning in Central Java and East Java was said to be a response to intimidation. According to PDI-P General Secretary Mr. Hasto Kristiyanto, there has been widespread intimidation of Ganjar-Mahfud supporters in both provinces. However, Mr. Hasto did not specify the forms of intimidation, or the exact locations where these incidents have occurred.

“Why did Mr. Ganjar come to Central Java and East Java recently? Because there has been a lot of intimidation happening in these two provinces, fueling the spirit of struggle,” said Mr. Hasto, following a visit to Tanah Tinggi flats in Central Jakarta on Sunday (14/1/2024).

Several Earlier Denials

All the incidents mentioned by Ronny have been denied by the parties involved. Regarding the incident in Gianyar, Head of Bali Public Order Agency Nyoman Rai Dharmadi said that the removal of posters was in accordance with the instructions of Acting Bali Governor Mr. Sang Made Mahendra Jaya and applied to all political party signage.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s the PDI-P flag, Ganjar-Mahfud MD, it’s irrelevant. This is to build a neutral atmosphere,” said Mahendra, quoted from Kompas.com’s report on Tuesday (31/10/2023).

As for the Pasuruan incident, Acting Public Relations Officer of Pasuruan City Police, Aipda Junaidi, said that the police officers’ visit to the PDI-P city office in Pasuruan was part of Operation Mantap Brata. This operation was carried out to secure the holding of the 2024 elections held over 222 days.

“Not only in Pasuruan City, but this operation was carried out throughout Indonesia on the orders of the National Police Headquarters,” he explained over the phone on Monday (6/11/2023). In the operation, the police did patrol all party offices for security purposes before the 2024 elections.

“We conducted patrols at all party offices for security purposes. Besides the PDI-P city office in Pasuruan, we also patrolled the offices of the United Development Party (PPP) and Golkar Party in Pasuruan.

They had no issues with our members’ visit,” he claimed.

In relation to the summoning of village heads in Karanganyar, the Director of Special Crimes at the Central Java provincial police department, Police Commissioner Dwi Soebagio, said that the summons for all village heads in Karanganyar, Central Java, had no political motive.

Police Commissioner Dwi said that the summons was a follow-up action after receiving complaints from the public. “We received reports from the public regarding allegations of village funds being cuts,” he explained, at his office in Banyumanik, Semarang City, on Friday (24/11/2023).

This report is based on https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2024/01/16/07245131/tpn-ungkap-bentuk-intimidasi-yang-dirasakan-kubu-ganjar-mahfud.