Susi Ferawati, who was reportedly harshly intimidated for expressing support for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the Car-Free Day event in Central Jakarta on Sunday, has reported the incident to the Jakarta Police.
In video footage of the incident that spread quickly through social media, Susi stood up to the alleged intimidators, who kept mocking her for wearing a white T-shirt reading #DiaSibukKerja (HeIsBusyWorking). Her five-year-old son was crying next to her.
The text on the T-shirt expresses support for Jokowi, who is seeking reelection next year. The intimidators wore T-shirts with the opposition campaign hashtag #GantiPresiden (#ChangePresident) printed on them.
“I was joining the Car-Free Day event wearing the #DiaSibukKerja shirt. I walked from Monas to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle,” Susi began telling reporters at the Jakarta Police headquarters about the incident on Monday.
Susi had initially been with a larger group but left the group as her son had to relieve himself.
“While we were walking leisurely along with my friends, we were confronted by a group of people wearing #2019GantiPresident shirts,” she said, adding that she had also seen other women being mocked by the intimidators, who accused them of being paid to support Jokowi and teasing them by swaying money in their face.
She added that the number of intimidators grew continuously.
The video of the event went viral online and sparked condemnation from the public.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) criticized the alleged intimidation and urged Muslims to avoid such an act considered “unislamic”.
“The action is incorrect. Car-Free Day should be an opportunity to do some physical exercise, to extend relationships and to sew interethnic brotherhood,” MUI’s information and communication division head Masduki Baidlowi said at his office in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted by tempo.co. (fac)
