Old video distorts Indonesian legislature’s “refusal to seize assets against grafted criminals”
Several executives at a subsidiary of Indonesia’s state-owned energy company were arrested on suspicion of corruption and demanded that their assets be seized. Social media users shared an old video that falsely claimed it showed that parliament rejected a bill, thus seizing assets of convicted grafters, but in fact, the clip portrayed chaos among parliamentarians in a 2014 leadership election.
“The chaos in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR). Those on the people urge the asset confiscation bill,” the Indonesian language Snackvideo Post said on April 2.
“But the Deputy Speaker rejected the bill against assets Those corrupt people. ”
The video shows the commotion among lawmakers.
Screenshot of fake post taken on April 22, 2025
Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office said in February it arrested several executives of the state-owned energy company PT Pertamina’s subsidiary for alleged corruption in oil imports that cost nearly $12 billion (archived link). The government said in some quarters that unjust assets should be confiscated (links to archives).
President Prabowo Su-Uming Expressed his support for the forfeiture of assets obtained through illegal means According to Indonesia Export Tempo (the archived link), he was asked about the Asset Forfeiture Act in an interview on April 6.
Originally served in the early 2000s, the draft law (designated to serve as a legal basis for law enforcement to seize assets from convicted corrupt persons), but was already in trouble in debates and delays (archive links).
According to another report by Indonesian media Tempo (archived link), parliamentary leaders announced in November 2024 that the bill would not be considered in 2025 because it requires more deliberation.
The claim spreads elsewhere on Snackvideo and Tiktok.
Comments show that some users believe the clip shows that the Indonesian parliament has thrown the bill.
One user said: “Just dissolve DPR, there is no need for DPR.”
Another commented: “Only arrests of DPR members who reject the law.”
However, the claim is wrong, as the Indonesian parliament’s website lists situations that are still under consideration as of April 24, 2025 (archive link).
Reverse image searches on Google led to a video posted by Indonesian media organization Beritasatu on October 2, 2014 on its verified YouTube account titled “Breaking News: Plenary Conference Make Chaotic Chaotic Chaotic” (archive link).
The video’s title says it shows lawmakers rushing to the speaker’s table in a poll by House leaders.
Comparison of screenshots of fake posts (left) and Beritasatu videos
News organizations have also released other videos showing the same scene (archived here and here).
The opening meeting of the storm is seen as a bad sign for Joko Widodo Who was that time A few weeks after the meeting (archive link), will take office as Indonesian president.
