Authorities Dismantle Negative Content Buzzer Network, Society Must Be Clear in Receiving Information
By: Kurniawan Santoso )*
The wave of negative narratives that have recently been circulating in society and leading to provocative narratives regarding the Revision of the TNI Law has been increasingly widespread in the digital space.
The pattern of spreading these negative narratives is apparently inseparable from organized efforts that systematically try to shape public opinion for certain purposes from the hoax creators.
Ironically, most of these narratives do not emerge from valid academic discussion spaces, but rather from networks involved in major legal cases that have clearly cost the state trillions of rupiah.
The emergence of Marcella Santoso’s name as a suspect in the case of obstruction of investigation related to corruption in CPO exports has also helped to uncover the opinion game behind the call for the TNI Law Revision petition and the “Dark Indonesia” propaganda.
Marcella is not just an advocate, but an important actor in the distribution of negative content targeting state institutions, including the Indonesian National Army and the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
His public confession shows how these narratives were not born from constructive intentions, but rather as part of a scheme to obscure the ongoing legal process.
The Indonesian National Army through the Head of the Information Center, Major General Kristomei Sianturi, responded firmly to this phenomenon. He emphasized that the TNI will stand at the forefront in supporting law enforcement, especially when national integrity and stability are at stake by the spread of misleading information.
As an institution that guards sovereignty, the TNI fully understands that public opinion that is led through provocative content can damage public trust in state institutions.
The TNI’s steps to strengthen synergy with the police, prosecutors, and other agencies mark a commitment to ensuring legal transparency. Not only that, this collaboration also aims to dismantle the network that deliberately creates an atmosphere of distrust towards the legislative process of revising the TNI Law.
Law enforcement that is objective and accountable is an important instrument to reduce the spread of slander that is deliberately created to cover the narrow interests of a group of elites.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Office through the Director of Investigation Abdul Qohar confirmed that narratives related to the TNI Bill and the Dark Indonesia issue were indeed found in electronic evidence belonging to the suspects.
Although he did not explain the contents in detail, Qohar emphasized that the narrative was not part of responsible criticism, but rather a tool to thwart the investigation process into the corruption case. This fact shows how great the manipulative motives are behind the content that attacks the TNI and the government.
Tracing the flow of funds leads to a network of buzzers and shadow media that are suspected of being involved in spreading provocative content. One of the suspects, Adhiya Muzakki, is known to lead more than 150 buzzers and received almost IDR 900 million to carry out operations to spread negative content.
He did not work alone. His colleagues such as Tian Bahtiar and Junaedi Saibih are also suspected of organizing digital campaigns and mass actions to create a bad perception of law enforcement agencies and the government. Not only in online spaces, the narrative was also brought to offline forums such as seminars and demonstrations that were aimed at getting media attention.
Marcella Santoso’s involvement in the network proves that public opinion can be easily manipulated if not filtered wisely. She expressed regret and admitted her negligence in allowing her team to compile content without adequate checking. However, the impact of her actions has already spread, leading many people to believe narratives that have no valid basis.
The public needs to realize that the Revision of the TNI Law is actually a strategic step in adjusting the role of the TNI in an era of new challenges, not an attempt to militarize civilians as trumpeted by some parties.
The TNI has so far carried out its role in national defense professionally and based on the constitution. The expansion of the TNI’s duties and functions regulated in the revision remains within the legal corridor, not threatening democracy, as the misleading narrative tries to build.
In fact, the effort to rot opinion about the TNI Bill proves that there are certain parties who feel disturbed by the presence of the TNI in the law enforcement and national resilience system.
They use digital instruments as propaganda weapons to corner government policies and damage public stability. This issue must be understood as a structured effort to weaken the foundation of the country’s defense through a war of opinion played by interested elites.
The TNI has shown maturity in itsap without being provoked by the negative narrative. Focusing on law enforcement, synergy between institutions, and support for the prosecutor’s office are proof that the Indonesian military remains grounded in the spirit of professionalism.
In this case, the role of the community is important: selecting information critically, not spreading unverified news, and not being easily provoked by narratives that appear populist but are not factual.
The firm steps of law enforcement officers against the actors behind the negative narrative of the TNI Law need to receive broad support. Manipulative narratives are not just a disturbance of discourse, but a real threat to public order and the integrity of the state.
Therefore, vigilance against misleading information must be part of democratic maturity, especially when the issues being played concern national sovereignty and the integrity of state institutions. (*)
)* The author is a social media observer
