Please Stop Spreading Hoaxes on Social Media, President Jokowi Says

President Jokowi at the inauguration of Advisors and Head of UKP PIP at the State Palace (Photo: PR/Rahmat)

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo encouraged all Indonesian people to stop spreading fake news containing defamation and hatred on social media.“Let us show the values of modesty and decency contained in the culture of Indonesia,” the President said in a press release, released by Press, Media, and Information Bureau of Secretariat of the President, on Thursday (8/6).

Previously, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has issued a Fatwa Number 24 of 2017 on Laws and Guidelines to Interact on the Social Media. The fatwa forbids all Muslims to spread hate speech, slanderous statements, hoaxes, bullies, and racial slurs. They are also forbidden to spread fake news although the creator has a good intention.

The General Chairman of MUI Ma’ruf Amin said that this fatwa is issued to respond the concern of the spreading of hate speech and hatred on social media. “This fatwa is expected to be able to prevent the spread of these fake news that can create conflict among the people,” Ma’ruf said in a public discussion and press conference of MUI Fatwa at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Jakarta, last Monday. (UN/ES)(MMB/YM/Naster)