TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Academics, experts, activists, and members of the Alliance for the Openness of Indonesian History (AKSI) have voiced strong opposition to the government's unilateral effort to rewrite national history, warning that such actions risk suppressing the truth.
AKSI argues that the state should not impose a singular narrative and stresses that history must also reflect the voices of those who have been marginalized. This stance was formally presented during a meeting with Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives on May 19, 2025.
"Serious human rights violations from the past must continue to be uncovered, voiced, and remembered; and the 'official history' can be used to cover up past sins, dark events that risk being repeated," AKSI said in a statement received by Tempo on Monday, June 2, 2025.
The group is calling for history to be written in a transparent and equitable manner. It has also launched a public petition, encouraging citizens to join the movement through the following link: https://www.amnesty.id/kerja-amnesty/kampanye/petisi-aksi/
AKSI is supported by dozens of prominent figures, including former Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, University of Indonesia legal anthropologist Sulistyowati Irianto, Lab4 Director Jaleswari Pramodhawardhani, and Amnesty International Indonesia Director Usman Hamid.
Also backing the initiative are former Lemhannas Governor Andi Widjajanto, Gusdurian Network Coordinator Alissa Wahid, philosopher Karlina Supelli from the University of Driyarkara, and Jakarta Institute of Arts lecturer Martin Suryajaya.
In response to the criticism, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon dismissed the concerns as premature and unfounded. He referred to the ongoing debate as “empty talk,” saying, “Much of what is being debated is empty talk that does not exist,” during a statement at the Parliament Complex in Senayan on Monday, May 26, 2025. Fadli emphasized that meaningful public input would be welcomed once the draft of the revised history books is complete.
The Ministry of Culture plans to hold a public consultation on the new history manuscript in either June or July. According to Fadli, the writing process is currently between 50 and 70 percent complete for some volumes, with others already finalized.
Archaeologist Harry Truman Simanjuntak expressed concern over the government's use of the term "official history," warning that it risks compromising academic integrity and independence in shaping historical narratives.
"Those who know history best are academics, in this case historians and related experts. So why does the state create an 'official history' that is susceptible to following personal tastes?" he told Tempo on Monday, May 26, 2025.
Truman believes the government should leave the writing of history entirely to professional scholarly bodies, such as the Indonesian Historical Society (MSI). He stated that the state’s role should be limited to logistical support, as was the case in earlier historical writing projects.
Defara Dhanya and Ervana Trikarinaputri contributed to the writing of this article.
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