September 12, 2025 | 10:38 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Brigadier General Freddy Ardianzah, Head of the Information Center for the Indonesian Military (TNI), stated that there are alleged criminal acts of defamation, hate speech, provocation, misinformation, and incitement in statements made by Malaka Project's CEO, Ferry Irwandi. These claims are the result of an investigation by the TNI's cyber unit into Ferry's social media content and public interviews.
"With a negative framing. This content is considered misleading, causing public unrest, and potentially disrupting national security stability," Freddy said in a written statement to Tempo on Thursday, September 12, 2025.
Freddy cited two examples of Ferry's content that are suspected of being illegal. The first is online activist’s analysis of a viral video involving TNI personnel in Palembang. Freddy stated that Ferry added the phrase "not just me..." to his analysis.
However, this phrase was not in the original recording. The military's Public Information Center (Puspen) has since confirmed the original video was a hoax.
The second example is Ferry's statement about a "military emergency," which he allegedly claimed was a planned action behind a riot and had been successfully prevented. According to Freddy, this narrative is a form of provocation and defamation, as there are no facts to support a military emergency plan. Freddy believes this statement could trigger fear and social instability.
The TNI alleges that Ferry’s actions have potentially violated several legal articles, including Article 207 of the Criminal Code concerning defamation of state institutions, Article 28 paragraph (2) of the ITE Law regarding the dissemination of information that incites hatred based on ethnicity, religion, race, and inter-group relations, and Articles 14 & 15 of Law No. 1/1946 regarding the broadcast of false news and unverified reports that cause public unrest.
The TNI also believes Ferry may have violated Article 310 of the Criminal Code on defamation, Articles 160 & 161 of the Criminal Code on incitement, and Article 45A paragraph (2) of the ITE Law.
Freddy stated that this case goes beyond just defaming an institution; it involves broader crimes, from insulting state institutions and spreading false news to inciting unrest that could disrupt national stability.
"All these article constructions could possibly be used as reference material by the Police through the investigation process," he said.
On Monday, September 8, 2025, Commander of the TNI Headquarters Cyber Unit, Juinta Omboh Sembiring, visited the headquarters of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police to discuss the alleged criminal defamation act against the TNI institution by Ferry Irwandi. The allegations against Ferry were uncovered by the TNI Cyber Unit during its cyber patrols.
However, Adjunct Commissioner Fian Yunus, Deputy Director of Cyber Detective at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, stated that the TNI cannot legally prosecute Ferry for alleged defamation. This is in accordance with Constitutional Court Decision Number 105/PUU-XXII/2024, which states that criminal acts of defamation can only be reported by an individual personally, not by an institution.
"According to the Constitutional Court decision, institutions cannot report; it has to be personal if it's defamation," Fian said at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Headquarters on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
Public Criticism and Ferry Irwandi's Response
The TNI's efforts to investigate Ferry's actions have been condemned by civil society. Setara Institute researcher Ikhsan Yosarie said that the military's cyber patrols against civilian activists set a dangerous precedent by normalizing the military's role in law enforcement.
According to Setara, instead of strengthening cyber defense against external threats, the TNI’s efforts are inappropriately shifting its military role into a law enforcement function.
Meanwhile, Ferry Irwandi, through his Instagram account, acknowledged the Constitutional Court decision stating that state institutions cannot sue their citizens. He also expressed uncertainty about what would happen next, but added, "One thing's for sure, they are not our enemies, sir."
According to Ferry, the TNI and the Police are institutions with a duty to protect their citizens, not to imprison them.
Dani Aswara and Oyuk Ivani Siagian contributed to the report
Editor's Choice: TNI Cannot File Defamation Report Against Influencer Ferry Irwandi, Police Say
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