TEMPO.CO, Solo - Former Indonesian President Jokowi referred to a viral meme of himself and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto made by a student from Bandung Institute of Technology as an example of democracy gone too far.
He said the meme had crossed the line.
"That's democracy in the digital era. But in my opinion, it's gone too far," Jokowi said in response to the viral meme when approached in Solo on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
Jokowi stressed that democracy should not be seen as a license to do anything without limits. In his view, there are boundaries that must be respected.
The father of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka said he would not pursue legal action, especially since the Presidential Palace had already suggested that the student be guided instead.
"It serves as a warning for all of us," he added.
Earlier, a student from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) was arrested for allegedly insulting President Prabowo Subianto and Jokowi through a meme.
SSS, a student at ITB’s Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, was taken into custody by police on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at her boarding house in the Jatinangor area, Sumedang Regency, West Java.
The case stemmed from a meme featuring Prabowo and Jokowi, posted to her X account @reiayanyami in March 2025.
As the meme gained traction, it drew a wave of comments and reactions online. SSS engaged with some of the replies until early May, shortly before her arrest.
However, the Indonesian National Police later suspended her detention.
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