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Jakarta Tourism Agency sponsored Ratna Sarumpaet’s trip to Chile
Activist Ratna Sarumpaet remains in the public eye.
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Ratna Sarumpaet, a former member of Prabowo Subianto’s presidential campaign team, is escorted by police officers at the Jakarta Police headquarters for questioning on Thursday evening. She was arrested at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten on suspicion of spreading fake news. (Warta Kota/Alex Suban)
T
he arrest of political activist Ratna Sarumpaet – a former member of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto’s campaign team – at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday night has generated suspicions of a possible escape attempt as authorities were reportedly closing in on her in a fake news case.
However, the Jakarta Culture and Tourism Agency later said in a statement that Ratna was about to depart for Santiago, Chile to attend the 11th Women Playwrights International Conference as she was set to appear as one of the event’s senior advisers.
Acting Jakarta Tourism Agency head Asianto said Ratna had sent a letter to the agency on Jan. 31 asking for funds for her travels and accommodation in Chile.
“Bu Ratna asked for a sponsorship from the governor for her attendance at the international conference,” Asianto said in a statement.
Ratna had been invited by the event’s organizer on Oct. 17, last year, to be one of the key speakers at the conference. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan received her funding proposal on Feb. 19, and later handed it over to the tourism agency.
“The agency had organized Ratna’s travels and coordinated with the organizer of the conference,” Asianto said, adding that Ratna was scheduled to arrive in the country on Oct. 7.
The conference will be held in Santiago from Oct. 7 to 12.
Ratna previously admitted to having lied about being assaulted in Bandung, West Java, saying her swollen eyes in pictures that went viral on Tuesday were the result of liposuction. Ratna said she had undergone surgery at a Jakarta hospital and lied to her children, telling them that she had been assaulted by unidentified assailants. Ratna’s claims turned political after Prabowo met with her and denounced the “assault”. (dmr)
