February 21, 2025 | 06:00 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Central Java Regional Police (Polda Jateng) denied any involvement in pressuring the punk music group Sukatani to pull the song titled 'Bayar Bayar Bayar' from all platforms and to extend an apology to the National Police Chief and the police institution.
"Zero [intervention]," said the head of public relations of the Central Java Police, Senior Commissioner Artanto, in a video statement received by Tempo on Friday, February 21, 2025.
However, he admitted that investigators from the Central Java Police Cyber Directorate had requested clarification from the band. "We have indeed asked the band for clarification."
Artanto stopped short of detailing the time and place of the clarification.
He claimed that the investigators only had a conversation with the band members, stating, "We wanted to know the intention and purpose behind the creation of the work."
The Indonesian National Police, he went on, lauded the activities of the group from Purbalingga to express and voice their opinions through art. The police also affirmed their respect for the criticism as motivation for improvement.
"Through art, opinions, or such criticism, the police is not against criticism," said Artanto. "This criticism is proof that they care about the police."
As widely reported, Sukatani announced the withdrawal of their song 'Bayar Bayar Bayar', which criticized the police, from all streaming platforms. This announcement, made via their social media account @sukatani.band on Thursday, February 20, 2025, included an apology to the National Police Chief and the police institution.
The band member explained that the song's intent was to criticize police officers who violate regulations. They requested social media users to remove any circulated song, disclaiming future responsibility for any consequences. They also asserted that their apology and the song's withdrawal were voluntary without any external coercion.
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