Saipul Jamil says he is “indifferent” towards negative public sentiment

Convicted sex offender Saipul Jamil was released last week after serving his sentence for child molestation and bribery. Following his release, he was invited by and made appearance in several TV shows. This sparked a public outcry, with people saying that such celebrations ignore the suffering of Saipul Jamil's victims. 

A petition to boycott Saipul Jamil from television has been signed by more than 500,000 people. However, in a video posted on KH Entertainment YouTube channel on 10 September, Saipul Jamil said that he does not care about and is indifferent towards the petition.

“Actually, I am used to being exposed to this kind of pros and cons. I am an indifferent person, so if someone bad-mouths me, I really don’t care,” he stated. 

Earlier on 6 September, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) sent an open letter to 18 broadcasters in Indonesia, reminding them to be mindful about ethics and public sensitivity. 

In the letter, the KPI urges all broadcasters not to amplify and glorify or exaggerate the situation by broadcasting shows that celebrate Saipul’s release. However, on 9 September, KPI Chairman Agung Suprio said in a video uploaded on Deddy Corbuzier’s YouTube channel that he may appear on television for educational purposes. 

With such leniency, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) reminds Saipul to be more sensible. “There are a lot of other figures that are deemed more appropriate to provide information for children about sexual crimes [rather than Saipul Jamil],” said KPAI Commissioner Jasra Putra.