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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Indonesian minister who says '98 mass rape a rumour faces flak from netizens
Indonesia's Cultural Affairs Minister Fadli Zon claimed there has never been any evidence to support the mass rape allegations. PHOTO: REUTERS – Indonesia's Cultural Affairs Minister Fadli Zon, already under fire for his initiative to rewrite Indonesian history, is facing a renewed public backlash for downplaying the well-documented mass rapes of Indonesians of Chinese descent during the May 1998 protests and riots that led to the fall of then-president Suharto. In a June 11 podcast, Mr Fadli dismissed the rapes as mere rumours, claiming there has never been any evidence to support the allegations, comments that have triggered painful memories of the deadly chaos that engulfed Jakarta and elsewhere. Criticism has lit up social media, with responses coming from prominent human rights activists to a former police general. 'Has Fadli Zon never read about the mass rapes in the 1998 riots or does he actually know of the incidents but chooses to be in denial?' X social media user @bangjerrrr from Indonesia wrote. The controversy also raises questions about the political motivations for Mr Fadli's remarks and the project to revise Indonesian history, with the aim of the latter to produce a book that is the nation's 'official history'. There are also concerns that it is an attempt to downplay politically sensitive episodes in the nation's past. The 1998 events have also dogged President Prabowo Subianto for years. He is a former Commandant General of Kopassus (Special Forces Command) and has been accused of involvement in abducting activists and orchestrating the 1998 riots, accusations he has repeatedly denied . He is also Mr Suharto's former son-in-law. Mr Prabowo married Ms Siti Hediati Hariyadi, a daughter of Mr Suharto, in 1983. They divorced in 1998. Mr Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, cited findings from a government-commissioned fact-finding team that confirmed the mass rapes happened, noting the team's report prompted then-president B.J. Habibie to acknowledge and express regret in his first speech before Parliament in August 1998. Mr Usman called Mr Fadli's remarks 'a fatal mistake' and 'an arrogant denial against a fact the mass rapes occurred', arguing that such facts cannot be categorised as rumours because it was confirmed by a report from an authoritative party. 'The report was done by a joint fact-finding task force consisting of various ministries including defence ministry, justice affairs ministry and the attorney-general's office that was formed by then-president Habibie,' Mr Usman said, referring to the Tim Gabungan Pencari Fakta task force (TGPF). The task force recorded 52 cases of rape, 14 cases of rape and assault, 10 cases of attacks and sexual assault, and 9 cases of sexual abuse. But it stressed that this does not represent the full number of actual victims because the report was based on the testimonies of the victims who were willing to come forward between May and July 3, 1998. 'The majority of the rape cases were gang rapes... And most of the rapes were done while other people were watching,' the report says. Former national police chief Oegroseno, who uses one name, also condemned the minister. 'Fadli Zon, if you don't know the situation on the ground in 1998, you shouldn't talk too much. The people who were victims feel hurt by your statement,' the retired three-star police general wrote in an Instagram post on June 17. In his Aug 14, 1998, speech that cited the report, Mr Habibie said: 'The looting and burning of shopping centres and residential homes were even accompanied by acts of violence and sexual abuse against women, particularly those from the ethnic Chinese community. 'All of these irresponsible criminal acts are very shameful and have tarnished our reputation as a civilised and religious nation; we condemn such barbarity,' he added. Mr Fadli was a noted student activist who opposed Mr Suharto's authoritarianism and played a key role in organising street rallies at the time. Scores of Mr Prabowo's inner circle -- those who supported his presidential campaigns and currently serving in the Cabinet -- come from among the 1998 pro-reform student leaders, who boldly went against Mr Suharto. Political analysts Burhanuddin Muhtadi and Adi Prayitno, quoted by local media, have considered Mr Prabowo's recruitment pro-reform activists as a political strategy to try to convince voters he has reformed, and to expand constituency base. Other 1998 pro-reform activists include Mr Budiman Sudjatmiko, who is head of the poverty eradication agency, Immanuel Mr Ebenezer Gerungan, who is deputy manpower minister, and Mr Nezar Patria, who is deputy communications and digital affairs minister. Mr Nezar was reported to be among the abductees who managed to return home in 1998. Responding to the mounting criticism, Mr Fadli said on June 16: 'Various criminal acts occurred amid the May 13-14, 1998 riots, including acts of sexual violence, however, with regard to mass rapes, caution is needed as data on the incident has never been conclusive.' Mr Fadli said that he does not interfere in the rewriting of Indonesian history, stressing that he entirely has left it to the historians to do this and to complete the rewriting project. Chinese descendant Indonesian Pauline Irawati, 55, a retiree, sees Mr Fadli's motive as an attempted cover-up for Mr Prabowo. 'What Fadli Zon said is otherwise incomprehensible,' she told The Straits Times. Mr Prabowo's alleged role in human rights violations in 1998, East Timor and elsewhere has dogged his political career. Mr Prabowo was once banned by the US for rights violations. Ms Pauline remembers the violent gangs that hunted the Chinese in 1998. She managed to evade the mobs on May 14 as she took a 2½-hour journey from her colleague's home in Karawaci, a Jakarta satellite town, to her home in Cengkareng, West Jakarta. Her office sent staff home early the day before and she, the only Chinese in the office, decided to spend the night at a colleague's home near the office, before making the trip home in a public minivan. 'On the way home, we were stopped a few times by mobs who asked, 'Are there Chinese on board?' I was the only Chinese there. I kept my head down to avoid being noticed,' Ms Pauline recalled, adding that other passengers protected her by always saying there were no Chinese on board. While Mr Fadli has promised he will not interfere in the work of historians revising the nation's history, Mr Bambang Wuryanto, an MP from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), isn't so sure. He said in Parliament on June 17 that subjectivity in the history rewriting project initiated by Mr Fadli, a senior politician of the ruling party Gerindra, would definitely play in the process. Parliament's education and culture committee member Bonnie Triyana said on June 18 that Parliament will invite Mr Fadli to a House hearing to give explanation about the history rewriting project. 'Don't rewrite history using a power-driven approach, and don't be selective and partial based on political interest. If that's so, It's better to stop the programme altogether,' he said . Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja has been Indonesia correspondent at The Straits Times since 2008, and is based in Jakarta. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Barnama
4 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Top News Headlines In Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore & Vietnam: June 17, 2025
Indonesian officials and activists have pushed back against recent remarks by Culture Minister Fadli Zon suggesting the mass rapes during the May 1998 riots were merely 'rumors', saying such comments risk erasing painful historical truths and marginalising victims. The government currently sees no need to send another delegation to the United States for the negotiations on tariffs as it believes it has made its case for open bilateral trade and says the ball is now in the US' court. 2. RI SEES NO NEED TO SEND TEAM FOR US TRADE TALKS -- THE JAKARTA POST The Lao media industry has undergone a rapid transformation, from analogue to digital broadcasting. Online media platforms have changed the way content is disseminated and consumed among the public. Laos has 86 radio stations, 49 television stations and 116 print media outlets. 2. HARNESSING PRIVATE INVESTMENT FOR GROWTH -- VIENTIANE TIMES The International Finance Corporation and the government is working to enhance the Public-Private Partnerships legal framework to make the business environment attractive. This will help in welcoming private sector investment to promote sustainable economic growth and job creation. MYANMAR 1. APRIL-MAY FISH EXPORTS HIT RM200 MILLION -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR About 43,600 metric tonnes of fish worth RM200 million (US$48 million) were exported in April-May this year. Myanmar earned over RM1.8 billion (U$421 million) from about 400,000 metric tonnes of fish exports in the 2024-2025 financial year. 2. MODERNISING FOOTWEAR PRODUCTION FOR EXPORTS -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Myanmar's footwear manufacturers are striving to transform the sector into an export-oriented business. Producers are exploring modernising production, expanding domestic and foreign markets and utilising local raw materials. Nearly 85 per cent of inputs are locally produced. SINGAPORE 1. SINGAPORE AIMS TO RAMP UP AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE USE TO BOOST PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK -- THE STRAITS TIMES Singapore is poised to make a big push for self-driving vehicles to be deployed across the island in the next five years, to strengthen the public transport network. 2. SINGAPORE TO HAVE 'MANY' AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN FIVE YEARS: ACTING TRANSPORT MINISTER JEFFREY SIOW -- CNA Singaporeans can expect to see "many" autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the roads in five years, said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow. VIETNAM 1. DRIVING TOWARDS ZERO EMISSIONS ON ROADS BY 2050 -- VIETNAM NEWS A new draft regulation on car emissions standards has been introduced by the government to reduce carbon pollution and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The goal is for clean fuel distribution to achieve the nation's environmental goals. 2. ANIMAL VACCINATION YET TO MEET NATIONAL TARGET -- VIETNAM NEWS Animal disease vaccination funded by the state budget fell short in the first half of this year. Vaccination coverage for African swine fever, avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease failed to reach the mandated national targets. -- BERNAMA BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio Twitter : @ @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial
CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Indonesian minister's denial of 1998 mass rapes slammed by activists, officials
JAKARTA: An Indonesian minister's denial of mass rapes that took place during the country's 1998 riots has been slammed by rights activists and the National Commission on Violence Against Women. Culture Minister Fadli Zon's remarks that the mass rapes were 'all hearsay' and 'rumours' have incited fresh concerns over the government's plan to release new history books that some historians say omit major human rights violations. "What actually happened? We never truly know, as there has never been any hard evidence. Who said it was mass rape? It was all hearsay, and such rumours won't resolve anything," Fadli said in a podcast last week with media outlet IDN Times. He was discussing the government's plan to revise the country's official historical narrative by launching a new 10-volume series of history books during Indonesia's Independence Day on Aug 17. The project has been panned by historians in recent weeks, after a 30-page draft outline began circulating in limited circles. Fadli's remarks on the mass rapes flew in the face of past findings, including that by a government-sanctioned fact-finding team whose report documented 85 cases of sexual violence, including 52 rapes, in 1998. The report was received by former President BJ Habibie, who expressed regret over the violence, noted Commissioner Dahlia Madanih of the National Commission on Violence Against Women on Sunday (Jun 15). 'Denying the official findings of the fact-finding team is denying the collective work of this nation in the pursuit of justice,' Dahlia said, as reported by Indonesian news agency Antara. 'The survivors have borne the burden in silence for too long. This denial is not only painful but also perpetuates impunity,' she said. The unrest in Indonesia in 1998 arose from economic turmoil and mounting anger at former President Suharto's authoritarian rule. Chinese-Indonesians were targeted in riots that broke out in various cities in May that year, days before Suharto resigned. Fadli's comments were 'deeply hurtful' and dismissive of well-documented evidence of violence that targeted the Chinese-Indonesian community, said Diyah Wara Restiyati from the Indonesian Chinese Youth Association, as reported by news outlet The Jakarta Post. 'When government officials say the rapes didn't happen, it deeply wounds us, especially Chinese-Indonesian women, who lived through that horror,' Diyah said. Jakarta city councillor Fatimah Tania Nadira Alatas also criticised Fadli, saying his comments were unethical and an attempt to erase historical trauma. 'Historical wounds cannot be erased, especially not revised. The violence against women, particularly ethnic Chinese women, must be remembered so it never happens again,' said Tania, whose remarks were posted on the Jakarta NasDem Party's social media accounts. In the wake of public criticism, Fadli – who is with President Prabowo Subianto's Gerindra party – said he was calling for 'academic and legal caution' when referring to the incidents as mass rapes. He said the term carries serious implications and must be backed by legally verified data, and that he was not denying sexual violence occurred during the 1998 riots, reported news site Jakarta Globe. But Fadli criticised the fact-finding team's work. Posting on social media platform X on Monday, he said its report listed numbers without detailed corroboration of information such as names, locations or perpetrators. 'We must be careful because this affects national dignity and truth,' Fadli said. The Indonesian government's plan to launch new history books has been criticised by activists and historians. A leading historian, Asvi Warman Adam, has said the draft downplays abuses and is 'glorifying' the achievements made under Suharto's regime, The Jakarta Post reported. The draft outline includes only two out of 17 cases of gross human rights violations recognised by Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights, news outlet Nikkei Asia reported. Some of the omitted cases include events involving President Prabowo, according to Nikkei Asia. Prabowo has not commented on the project, Nikkei Asia reported. But he has previously said some former activists are now his supporters. Prabowo, a former general, was accused of orchestrating the 1997-1998 kidnapping and forced disappearance of 22 activists critical of Suharto, including 13 who are still missing today. Suharto was Prabowo's former father-in-law. Fadli claimed the accusations have been debunked when speaking to news agency Reuters last month. Reuters reported Jajat Burhanuddin, a historian involved in the project, saying there had been no state intervention so far. The 1998 kidnappings and torture of student activists would be included, Jajat reportedly said, although he declined to say whether Prabowo would be mentioned in those accounts. Fadli has said the project would have an Indonesia-centric narrative and aims "to reinvent the Indonesian identity". He has said it will involve over 100 historians and archaeologists from 34 universities and research institutions. But a coalition of activists and historians, called the Indonesian Historical Transparency Alliance, has said the project 'appears to be a deliberate effort to engineer the past with a single interpretation'. The coalition called last month on House of Representatives lawmakers to reject the government's bid to rewrite history. Hetifah Sjaifudian, chair of the House's Commission X overseeing education and culture, said the committee would meet with the Culture Ministry, and promised to urge the removal of the 'official' label from the new books to preserve space for open historical discourse, The Jakarta Post reported.
Euronews
29-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
France and Indonesia enhance cultural ties with new partnership deal
France has signed a cultural partnership with Indonesia, with an emphasis on preserving cultural heritage and the development of human resources. The new pact also includes promotion of cultural products such as films, music and textiles and encourages collaboration between cultural institutions in both countries. "We aim to enhance cultural dialogue between the two nations, particularly by engaging younger generations and contemporary cultural practitioners," said Indonesia's Minister of Culture Fadli Zon. The agreement also covers museum development and archival digitisation and serves as "an operational framework to implement the cultural vision" of both countries' leaders, the culture ministry said. Initiatives set to be launched under the agreement include the Indonesia–France Film Lab and the Borobudur Cultural Centre. "Through an inclusive approach, we hope to generate both cultural and economic added value for our nations," Fadli said. The deal was signed as French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his state visit to Indonesia, which ended with a tour of Borobudur Temple, one of the world's largest Buddhist monuments, alongside President Prabowo Subianto. Macron, currently on a week-long diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia, arrived in Indonesia with First Lady Brigitte Macron on Tuesday evening, the second stop of his tour after Vietnam. On arrival, Macron had warm words for Indonesia's leader, describing him as a brother and "a great friend of mine". Military cooperation between Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, and France has grown in recent years, starting in 2019 when Subianto became defence minister. Indonesia finalised an order for 42 French Dassault Rafale fighter jets in January 2024, with the first delivery expected in early 2026. The Asian nation also announced the purchase of two French Scorpene Evolved submarines and 13 Thales ground control interception radars. Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told reporters after welcoming Macron that the visit was aimed at strengthening "defence cooperation between Indonesia and France." Macron ends his tour in Singapore where he's expected to speak at Asia's top defence conference, the annual Shangri-La Dialogue. Far-right Chega party has become Portugal's main opposition party, following a final tally of votes from the 18 May election. After the initial round of counting, the party was tied on 58 seats with the Socialist Party (PS), which received a slightly higher share of the vote. However, Chega — which means "Enough" in Portuguese — secured two more seats after overseas voting was taken into account, while the PS stayed on 58. 'This is a profound change in the Portuguese political system," Chega leader André Ventura told supporters after his party had overtaken the PS. The election results broke with the country's political status quo, as centre-right and centre-left parties have typically alternated between government and opposition. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's centre-right Democratic Alliance secured 91 seats of the National Assembly's 230 seats, making it the largest bloc in parliament. Montenegro, who has ruled out working with Chega, said he would form a new minority government. The mid-May election — the third national vote in as many years — was called after Montenegro lost a confidence vote in parliament, following concerns about the prime minister's business dealings. He denies any wrongdoing. Chega's rise coincides with far-right gains across Europe, with parties including Alternative for Germany (AfD) now in the political mainstream. The former fringe party, which campaigned under the slogan 'Save Portugal', took only one seat when it first competed in elections in 2019. Since then, its hardline stance against immigration has seen it surge in popularity.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Indonesia Unveils New Cultural Blueprint With Focus on Film Industry Growth (EXCLUSIVE)
Indonesia's first-ever Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, has outlined an ambitious blueprint for the nation's cultural growth, with special emphasis on developing the country's rapidly expanding film industry. 'This is the first time for Indonesia to have a new Ministry of Culture. This is a new chapter for cultural development under President Prabowo Subianto's administration,' Zon tells Variety in an exclusive interview at the Hong Kong FilMart market. More from Variety Hong Kong FilMart 2025: Five Takeaways From Asia's Recharged Global Content Market Asia's Animation Revolution Drives Upbeat Outlook Acclaimed Duo Huang Ji, Otsuka Ryuji Team Again for 'A Woman Builds' The newly established ministry is guided by Indonesia's constitutional mandate, which Zon notes has been in place for 80 years, requiring the state to advance 'Indonesia's national culture within global civilization by ensuring the freedom of society to preserve and develop its cultural values.' The ministry's strategy rests on three key pillars: protection and revitalization of cultural heritage, cultural diplomacy, and development of the cultural economy through digital innovation. The latter specifically targets film industry growth, which Zon describes as experiencing 'rapid growth' with more than 200 films produced last year and cinema audiences exceeding 80 million. Among the challenges facing Indonesia's film sector, Zon identifies 'the shortage of skilled script writers' as a key bottleneck. To address this, the ministry is implementing capacity building initiatives including masterclasses, training programs, student competitions, and industry collaborations. 'Our vision is to preserve Indonesia's rich storytelling traditions and position Indonesia as a competitive player in the global cultural creative economy,' Zon explains. To put matters in context, films from Indonesia now routinely get selected and win prizes at major international festivals. The local market in Indonesia, which has the fourth-largest population in the world with 283 million, is rapidly expanding with homegrown productions accounting for a significant share of the local box office. Indonesia is also bolstering its cultural policies that include an annual $13 million international co-production grant. The government is working to accelerate funding through an endowment fund with match funding schemes to support the film industry's economic potential. When asked about plans for international production incentives, Zon indicated that while specific tax breaks are still being developed, the immediate focus is on streamlining procedures. 'We try to make the procedure and the process easier and shorter. It's important for us to have this kind of exchange reciprocally with other countries,' he says, adding that international productions would help promote 'Indonesian culture, tourism, landscapes, and cultural values.' Zon emphasizes the importance of international festivals and markets like the Hong Kong FilMart in sustaining Indonesia's growing global presence in film and television. 'Networking is very important for Indonesian filmmakers,' Zon says. 'With the culture of globalization, we have to cooperate with each other.' He highlights regional networks such as AFAN (Asian Film Commissions Network) as crucial platforms for dialogue and exchange of best practices within the industry. The ministry is also revitalizing cultural centers across Indonesian provinces to serve as creative hubs for the film industry, alongside other cultural initiatives. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, 'Wicked: For Good' and More What's Coming to Disney+ in March 2025
