REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SEMARANG -- Regional Winning Body of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and vice presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno pair in Central Java was disappointed with the attitude of the Supervisory Board of General Election (Bawaslu) regarding the circulation of the Indonesian Barokah tabloid. Earlier, Bawaslu member, Ratna Dewi Pettalolo, stated that there was no element of campaign at the Barokah Indonesian tabloid.
"Of course, we are disappointed about the campaign. We should be wise and avoiding friction. These supporters and volunteers have begun to take their own path by burning the tabloid, because they feel there is omission," Sriyanto Saputro, BPD spokesman of Prabowo-Sandiaga, stated here on Monday.
Saputro further reminded that the contents of the tabloids were provocative and its circulation in mosques should not have been allowed for political campaigns of any kind. The man who was also listed as a member of the Central Java DPRD questioned the attitude of the Bawaslu if there were individuals who made leaflets with contents discrediting the candidate pair Joko Widodo-Ma'ruf Amin.
"Is it then permissible because it does not fulfill the elements of the campaign? I hope provocative leaflets must not be circulated," the Gerindra Party politician remarked.
On the other hand, he called on the police and integrated law enforcement to be proactive in their handling to see a sufficient number of Barokah Indonesian tabloids being circulated in mosques. If there is omission, he noted, it is very dangerous, so that the apparatus must also be proactive.
"If they really want to investigate, it is certainly easy because it is clear who the sender is. "The sender can be tracked and the printing can be investigated. If there is intention, investigation can also be fast," he added.
As it is known, almost all regions in Central Java Province found tabloids containing news that allegedly harmed the Subianto-Uno pair. The Barokah Indonesian tabloid was found in mosques in the districts of Blora, Sukoharjo, and Magelang.
On average, each mosque received three copies of the Barokah Indonesian tabloid, which were wrapped in brown envelopes with the sender's address in Pondok Melati, Bekasi, West Java.
On the first page, the Barokah Indonesian tabloid put a the title "Reunion 212: The Interest of Political People or Interests?" In the special coverage column, there was a news titled "Deceiving the Public for Political Victory?," with caricatures of Ratna Sarumpet, Fadli Zon, Sandiaga, and Prabowo.