"This harms our democracy and election process in Jakarta."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Chief security minister Djoko Suyanto has urged the public in Jakarta not to be provoked by a video clip showing provocations and threats in an attempt to prevent people from participating in the next Jakarta gubernatorial election run-off.

"It is deplorable that the democratic process is being tarred by the uploading of the video clip on YouTube. The clip has already spread among the people," he said at a press conference in his office here on Thursday.

He added that the clip contains provocations aimed at certain community members. It depicts a picture of a man standing before a backdrop of the 1998 riots.

"The man, with his face covered in the picture, is threatening the people to prevent them from participating in the election," he said.

The minister said that the 1998 riot was a very sad incident and "we promised that it would never happen again."

He noted that "the use of the video to provoke and threaten the democratic process was a very bad thing and really harmed the democratic process we are implementing now."

In view of that, he called on the minister of communication and information to immediately stop the video from being shown, since it brought no benefit to the public.

"The people and the mass media must not be provoked and affected by the video, because the irresponsible provocation would only harm the harmonious relationships that we must always maintain as our culture is, indeed, pluralistic. This harms our democracy and election process in Jakarta," he said.

He added that he had also instructed security agencies to take preventive measures in case of a possible impact of the showing of the video.

"The police, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the military (TNI) have been ordered to be alert and take preventive measures with regard to the case. They have been asked to report immediately if they find video clips carrying contents on sensitive issues of racial, ethnic, inter-religious, or inter-group relations (SARA issues), for a follow up with regard to assuring the process of elections in Jakarta, and also in other regions, would go well and the principles of pluralism, freedom of expression and free choice could be implemented well and safely," he said.
(T.S037/H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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