June 5, 2026 | 02:11 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Presidential Communications Office Muhammad Qodari dismissed remarks by former Deputy Manpower Minister Immanuel Ebenezer, who recently warned of an alleged political movement aimed at destabilizing President Prabowo Subianto's administration.Speaking at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta on Friday, June 5, Qodari said law enforcement actions should not be linked to political speculation."Arrests are a matter for law enforcement authorities. They should not be framed as if they are part of something else," Qodari said.He urged the public to be more critical in assessing information and avoid drawing conclusions from claims that have not been substantiated."It is better for us to focus on facts," he said.Qodari was responding to comments made by Immanuel, popularly known as Noel, after he was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison by the Central Jakarta Corruption Court. Following the verdict, Noel claimed that a political escalation targeting the Prabowo administration was underway and suggested that a series of arrests of government officials could precede broader political unrest.Qodari rejected such claims and said the government remains focused on managing economic challenges, including the recent depreciation of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar.According to him, President Prabowo continues to closely monitor economic developments through regular evaluations involving Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo."The President constantly conducts evaluations through meetings and ongoing reviews," Qodari said.In his remarks after the court ruling, Noel warned of growing public discontent involving civil society groups, students, and workers, and suggested that a trigger event could spark a movement similar to the 1998 Reformasi protests that led to the fall of former president Suharto.He also advised Prabowo to strengthen ties with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Islamic cleric Rizieq Shihab, arguing that both could play an important role in supporting the government during a period of political uncertainty.Read: Prabowo Mum on Replacement After Firing Silmy Karim
