Jimmy Endey, Deputy Chairperson II for Legal Advocacy and Development of the PWI Central Office.

progresifjaya.co.id, JAKARTA – The Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Central Office has clarified President Prabowo’s statement, which was truncated and modified to mean that journalists are “Londo Ireng.” In its statement, the PWI stated, that President Prabowo didn’t begin by accusing journalists, NGOs, or observers of being “Londo Ireng.”

In fact, in his full statement, President Prabowo first explained that there are Indonesians who serve other nations, as referred to as “Londo Ireng.”

Here is the full statement:

“We know there are Indonesians who enjoy serving and devoting themselves to other nations. That’s what we used to call Londo Ireng. Yes, those who joined the Dutch in the war against us, these Londo-Londo Ireng still exist today, only they wear different clothes now, right? Journalists, journalists, observers, NGOs, we have to ask: Who pays your salary? Who pays for your electricity? Who pays for your cell phone? Finding work is hard, we know that, right?” said the President in his full statement.

“If you look at the sentence structure, the President is explaining that those who serve foreign nations are no longer soldiers. They are playing other roles, one of which is journalism,” explained Jimmy Endey, Deputy Chairperson II for Legal Advocacy and Development of the PWI, to the author on Friday, July 24, 2026.

In Jimmy Endey’s opinion, those most disturbed by the President’s statement should instead ask themselves. If they truly don’t feel they’re defending foreign interests and have been working for the public interest, they clearly shouldn’t be offended or react.

“The point is, we just have to think smart. As long as we’re defending the public’s right to accurate and balanced information, we can just focus on our work. There’s no need to make a fuss about things that aren’t clear and don’t need to be discussed,” he emphasized.

Writer/Editor: Bembo