August 15, 2025 | 12:48 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian House Speaker, Puan Maharani, considers the raising of the One Piece flag ahead of Indonesia's 80th Independence Day celebration as an expression of public concern. She conveyed her opinion during the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly held jointly with the House of Representatives and the Regional House of Representatives today.
According to Puan, the current generation has a unique and creative way of expressing criticism towards the government, especially through social media.
"These expressions can be in the form of short sentences like 'kabur aja dulu,' sharp satire such as 'Dark Indonesia,' political jokes like 'Konoha country,' and new symbols like the One Piece flag, and many more that are widely circulated in the digital space," said Puan at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Friday, August 15, 2025.
Puan stated that this phenomenon demonstrates how people now express their aspirations and concerns in the language of their time. She emphasized that, in a democracy, people must have the freedom to associate, gather, express their opinions, and voice their criticisms.
"For those in power, every voice of the people we hear is not just words or pictures. Behind every word, there is a message," the politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle continued.
She urged stakeholders to address public concerns wisely. She stated that behind every message, there is certainly a concern, and behind the concern lies hope.
Puan further explained that the meaning of wisdom is not just to listen, but also to understand. "Wisdom to not only respond but to respond with a clear heart and an open mind. We all hope, whatever form and content of criticism is conveyed by the people, it should not become a spark that ignites division," she said.
Puan emphasized that criticism should not become a fire that divides the nation. Instead, she hopes that criticism becomes a light that illuminates the path together. "Criticism can be strong in substance and strongly oppose policies, but it is not a tool to incite violence, hatred, destroy the ethics and moral values of society, let alone destroy humanity," she said.
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