He said Saracens activities could, so far, be categorized as harming the nations unity.
"The government of President Joko Widodo is striving to develop a work culture to build the country, and with all our capacity, we have tried to consolidate the nations potentials and build the country together, and suddenly, this group has sprung up to divide the people and pit one against the other by spreading stories to trigger unrest and disrupt the nations unity," he noted before meeting the president.
The coordinating minister for political, security, and legal affairs said that since the start, the government has committed to ensuring freedom of speech, but it has limits.
"Constructive freedom is okay, but the destructive one that harms people, of course, is not," he clarified.
In view of this, Wiranto said Saracen must not be allowed, and hence, the police have continued to conduct investigations to unearth "if their motive is only money or hobby or there is a political tendency."
He reiterated that with regard to politics, the government have given the freedom to campaign, but it must be done constructively and not the opposite.
"The government wishes to build a stable situation," he added.
The police have been studying information obtained from suspects involved in "Saracen" in connection with hate speeches that the group has spread through the social media platform Facebook in order to uncover the parties involved in the organizational structure of the group.
"We are verifying the truth behind their information," Senior Commissioner Martinus Sitompul, head of the public information department of the Indonesian police, noted at the police headquarters here on Monday.
The police are also collecting legal facts to confirm if the names suspected to be the administrators of Saracen known, so far, were true.
The police have arrested three suspects identified by their initials as MFT, SRN and JAS and known to be the administrators of "Saracen" that has spread hate speeches through Facebook.
The Saracen group has allegedly offered its services to spread hate speeches, including exploiting sensitive issues of religious, group, and ethnic differences, known locally as SARA issues.
After the arrests of the three suspects, the internet was buzzing with information related to the names of several figures included in Saracens organizational structure, such as lawyer Eggi Sudjana.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has ordered the Police to thoroughly investigate the syndicate and parties suspected to have sought its service to disseminate hate speeches.
"I have ordered the National Police (Polri) chief to thoroughly investigate it, not just the Saracen cyber group but also those who ordered (the dissemination of hate speeches) and who paid for it," Jokowi stated at the National Monument square in Jakarta on Sunday.
Jokowi highlighted the need to conduct an investigation on those who sought the service of the Saracen group to spread hate speeches.
The president has also urged the public to use social media in a responsible manner and to not spread lies, slander, or hate speeches that could harm the unity and integrity of the nation.
The head of state said the group that deliberately spreads slander and information on inciting issues is endangering the state.
"There is no problem if they disseminate positive things, boost optimism, invite people to carry out development, encourage them to do good deeds, and advise the community to uphold good values," the president noted.
Saracen has created several Facebook accounts, including Saracen News, Saracen Cyber Team, and Saracennewscom, with the total number of followers reaching some 800 thousand.
Several Saracen accounts are always spreading hate speeches related to SARA issues that are categorically sensitive. Saracen has been managed by this group since November 2015.
Following are the names of personnel found in the hierarchy of the group that has spread so far.
Council of Advisors
Major General (ret) Ampi Tanudjiwa
Dr Eggi Sudjana S. H.
Council of Experts
Dr. M. Effendi Harahap
Rijal
Wahyu Diana
Riswan
Chairman: Jasriadi
Deputy: Agus Setiawan
Secretaries
Firmansyah
Sofie
Fatimah Azzahra
Hendra
Isharudin
Treasurers
Rina Indriani
Mirda (Retno)
Legal experts
Ferry Juan S. H.
Elvie Sahfalena SH MH (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
