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Civic groups reject Prabowo's 'foreign lackey' accusations
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President Prabowo Subianto delivers a speech at a plenary cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Jan. 22, 2025. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)
C
ivil society organizations (CSOs) have firmly rejected President Prabowo Subianto’s repeated claims that certain groups are funded by foreign entities to sow division within Indonesian society, calling the allegations baseless and harmful to democracy.
During a Pancasila Day speech on Monday, Prabowo urged the public to protect national unity as enshrined in the state ideology of Pancasila, warning that foreign powers are actively trying to create discord by supporting some CSOs.
“With money, [foreign entities] fund CSOs to pit us against each other,” said the former Army general. “They claim to uphold democracy, human rights and press freedom, but those are merely their own versions [of these values].”
The President, who made similar warnings about “foreign lackeys” on multiple occasions including during the anniversary of his Gerindra Party in February, suggested that CSOs and media outlets are being used by foreign actors to influence public opinion.
“A time will come when it is revealed that CSOs and mass media are being funded by foreign actors to influence public opinion,” he said back then.
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However, CSOs and human rights advocates say such accusations are unsubstantiated and dangerous.
