The National Police have all but confirmed suspicions that the Islamic hardline movement to smear and bring down former Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama was inextricably linked to a massive online campaign to spread hatred among religious, political, and ethnic groups in Indonesia.
The National Police’s Cyber Crimes Directorate on Saturday arrested a woman named Asma Dewi, who they identified as the treasurer of “Tamasya Al-Maidah,” an event organized by Islamic hardliner groups to persuade some 1.3 million Muslims from outside of Jakarta to come to the capital on April 19 — the day of the gubernatorial election between Ahok and eventual winner Anies Baswedan — in order to help “monitor” polling stations. Police were on guard in force on election day to prevent any possible voter intimidation from Tamasya Al-Maidah, and luckily there were no such reports beyond outsiders found lurking around election booths in Jakarta.
After investigating Asma’s bank account, the police found that she had wired IDR75 million (USD5,700) to the treasury of Saracen, a racist meme “syndicate” that the police said were paid millions of rupiah by clients to spread politically-motivated hatred online.
“The investigators have so far found information that (Asma) wired IDR75 million to NS, Namlea Solo. Namlea Solo is a key member of Saracen. Namlea Solo then wired the money to (a person identified by the initial) D. In the transaction records the money transfer was accompanied with the note, ‘to pay for Saracen.’ And then D wired the money to (a person identified by the initial) R, who is Saracen’s treasurer,” said National Police Spokesman Inspector General Setyo Wasisto, as quoted by Tirto yesterday.
The police say they are still investigating the transaction to determine why exactly Tamasya Al-Maidah wired money to Saracen, and who ordered the transaction.
As for Asma, she may face up to six years in prison for online hate speech under the Information and Electronic Transactions Act (UU ITE).
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