September 9, 2025 | 08:17 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) has clarified Tempo's coverage that mentioned allegations of soldier involvement in the demonstrations at the end of August 2025.
This clarification is in response to three Tempo contents, namely the articles titled “Ada Apa dengan Intelijen Tentara” or "What's Wrong with Military Intelligence" (September 3, 2025), “Siapa Perusuh Demonstrasi Agustus” or "Who are the Rioters of the August Demonstrations" (September 7, 2025), and the Bocor Alus Politik podcast on Tempo's YouTube channel (September 6, 2025).
"The spread of incomplete and unverified information can create misconceptions," said TNI Chief of Information Center Brigadier General Freddy Ardianzah in a clarification letter on Monday, September 8, 2025.
TNI provided an explanation regarding the assignment of Mayor SS, a personnel of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (Bais) who monitored the protests around the Slipi Fly Over, West Jakarta, on August 28, 2025.
According to TNI's chronology, clashes occurred between the masses and the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) forces in the Slipi area, which then shifted to Pejompongan and Bendungan Hilir since 3:25 PM. While following the movement of the forces, Mayor SS got separated from his colleagues due to tear gas. He was later apprehended by Brimob personnel while sitting on a motorcycle near a gas station.
Freddy explained that initially Brimob suspected Mayor SS as part of the demonstrators because he was in civilian clothing. "However, after showing his identity and assignment letter, the conversation ended with a handshake, and Mayor SS was released because he was indeed on duty," he said in the letter.
The TNI considered the coverage misleading, as if the soldier was arrested for being a provocateur or planning to set fire to the gas station. "In fact, the person in question was in the midst of officially monitoring the course of the event," he stated.
TNI also denied the involvement of a TNI member's child in provoking the attack on the Brimob Headquarters in Cikeas, Bogor. The issue arose after a suspect with the initial M claimed to be instructed by a certain B, the child of a TNI member in Jakarta. However, Bogor Police Chief Adjunct Commissioner Besar Wikha Ardilestanto confirmed that the confession was fabricated.
"The confession has been proven false. Suspect M deliberately used the name of a TNI member's child to avoid legal repercussions and hoped for protection," said the Police Chief in a clarification quoted by the TNI.
Based on digital examinations and direct confrontations, the police confirmed that there was no evidence of B or his family's involvement. "From the investigation results, it is certain that the TNI institution was not involved at all in planning or carrying out the attack on the Brimob Headquarters," Freddy stated.
Freddy also denied the narrative in Tempo.co's coverage which mentioned a soldier being arrested by the police on 30 August 2025 in Jakarta. The TNI considered that the location of the incident mentioned by Tempo differed from the actual events on the ground.
"No TNI soldiers have been arrested by the police. Up to this moment, no TNI members have been arrested or taken by the Military Police or TNI Provost," Freddy said.
Editor’s Choice: Ministry: No TNI Takeover in Protest Handling, Deployment Only to Support Police Forces
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