Academia
By reviving colonial-era slurs to target press critics, President Prabowo Subianto imports a dangerous authoritarian logic that trades democratic accountability for loyalty tests.
Briefing: Prabowo Subianto (left) speaks with several senior journalists, economists and analysts on March 17, 2026, at his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor regency, West Java. (Antara/Handout/Government Communication Office)
The relationship between President Prabowo Subianto and the press has long been fraught. Throughout his political career, Prabowo has repeatedly expressed hostility toward the media, famously branding journalists as antek asing (foreign stooges) and routinely barring reporters from campaign events. During the 2014 presidential election, he went so far as to publicly label the owner of The Jakarta Post as brengsek (jerky or scoundrel).The President's recent characterization of certain media outlets, analysts and civil society organizations as londo ireng continues this established pattern. Literally translating to “black Dutchman” in Javanese, londo ireng historically referred to native Indonesians who aligned with Dutch colonial authorities against their fellow citizens during the war for independence.
