Ministry of Defense vs. Tempo: an exercise in Institutional Self-Defense
Published · By Satya Pramesi
On September 12, 2025, the Ministry of Defense filed a formal complaint with the Press Council against Tempo, alleging the outlet falsely reported that the Defense Minister had urged the President to impose martial law. The complaint, submitted via TikTok, triggers a Press Council investigation, compelling Tempo to produce all documents and recordings underpinning its story. Should the Council find no breach of journalistic standards, the case will be dismissed, leaving the Ministry without further legal options. At its core, the dispute hinges on Tempo’s editorial integrity and the credibility of its sources.
What Actually Happened
| # | Claim | Date | Entities | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ministry of Defense filed a complaint with the Press Council against Tempo, alleging the outlet lied in a report about the Defense Minister calling for martial law. | Ministry of Defense, Press Council, Tempo, Defense Minister | detikNews (archived) | |
| 2 | The Press Council investigation requires Tempo to submit documents and recordings used in its report. | Press Council, Tempo | Instagram Video (Primary Source) (archived) | |
| 3 | If no violations are found by the Press Council, the case against Tempo will be dropped. | Press Council, Tempo | Dandapala (archived) | |
| 4 | Tempo has a reputation for high editorial standards and holding truth to power. | Tempo | Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) (archived) | |
| 5 | The Ministry of Defense’s complaint centers on Tempo’s allegation that the Defense Minister urged the President to impose martial law. | Ministry of Defense, Tempo, Defense Minister, President | Tempo.co (archived) | |
| 6 | The strategy of using legal means to delegitimize opponents is referred to as lawfare or a SLAPP suit. | lawfare, SLAPP suit | Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute (Wex) (archived) | |
| 7 | The complaint was discussed in an Indonesia Last Week TikTok commentary published on September 12, 2025. | Indonesia Last Week, TikTok | TikTok (@indonesialastweek) (archived) |
The Ministry of Defense (Kementerian Pertahanan) has filed a complaint with the Press Council (Dewan Pers) against investigative outlet Tempo. The Ministry alleges Tempo fabricated a report claiming the Defense Minister had called for martial law.[1][2][3]
Under the Press Council’s process, Tempo will now be obligated to hand over the documents and recordings used in its reporting.[4][5]
The complaint is a classic case of lawfare: using legal mechanisms to harass or delegitimize critics.[6]
The move sends a message to other outlets: cross us, and we will make your life difficult.[7]
For Tempo, a Press Council complaint is a familiar routine.
The Ministry of Defense gets to play the aggrieved party. Tempo gets to keep reporting. The public gets to watch the spectacle, secure in the knowledge that the ending never changes: the powerful stay powerful, and the only thing more reliable than a government denial is another government denial.
Sources
- detikNews (archived)
- TikTok (@indonesialastweek) (archived)
- Dandapala (archived)
- Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) (archived)
- Tempo.co (archived)
- Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute (Wex) (archived)
Original video: TikTok source