Several weeks ago, five members of the House of Representatives (DPR) were suspended. This was the result of their problematic statements, which sparked public anger. Mass protests were unstoppable, resulting in many casualties.
The five DPR members are Adies Kadir, Ahmad Sahroni, Eko Hendro Purnomo alias Eko Patrio, Surya Utama alias Uya Kuya, and Nafa Urbach. The latter three come from the celebrity world. While Eko has been a member of the council since 2009, Uya and Nafa are new to this term.
In response, actress Aurelie Moeremans posted her story on the social media platform TikTok. She said she was grateful to have turned down several offers to enter politics as a celebrity. The first time was in 2016, when a senior actress who had already entered politics asked her to meet with a party boss.
“Your job is really easy, just follow the boss. Then make some noise when you hold an event. And if you have to talk to the people, we’ll just tell you what to say. You’re used to memorizing texts, right?” Aurelie said, imitating the senior actress’s words. “I’m just like a puppet, I’m given a script, I don’t want that,” she added.
After rejecting the offer, Aurelie received several similar offers afterwards. Not only were they lured by the promise of a salary of hundreds of millions of rupiah if they became officials, but they also promised Aurelie that she could obtain an education degree quickly. Aurelie, who was too busy in the entertainment world to attend college, was promised that she could obtain a bachelor’s and master’s degree.
“Actually, if you want to go to college, it can be arranged. You can go straight to a master’s degree, and for the bachelor’s degree, just follow my instructions. We’ll make it short, and you can focus on your master’s degree so you’ll be outstanding,” continued the political party member who approached Aurelie at that time.
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Aurelie was shocked and couldn’t believe it. Not only did she regret the political party’s strategy of inviting celebrities like her to boost their votes, but also their “trickery” in the system.
“Is that even possible? I mean, if college can’t follow the rules, what about other things? From my own experience, it’s clear there’s a major problem with the system, and it needs to be changed.”
Aurelie is one of many celebrities in the country who finally spoken up recently. She openly rejects the existence of political celebrities whose sole purpose is to boost votes. However, there are also many celebrities who have flocked to political parties. Until they were appointed as public officials.
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In the 2025-2029 period, there are at least 24 celebrities who have been appointed as members of the House of Representatives. This number has nearly doubled from the previous period, when 14 celebrities were appointed as members of the House of Representatives for 2019-2024.
This number does not include celebrities who were appointed as regional heads in various regions in Indonesia. As of October 2024, there were a total of 37 public officials in the DPR and regional heads who were appointed from among celebrities.
Looking at Celebrity Politics, How and What is Its Impact?
According to the Big Indonesian Dictionary, celebrity politics can be translated from the combination of the words “politics” and “celebrity.” Politics refers to all matters and actions (policies, strategies, etc.) concerning the government of a country or towards other countries. Meanwhile, a celebrity is a famous or well-known person (usually an artist/celebrity).
In looking at celebrity politics, we need to understand two situations. First, celebrities entering politics. Second, the celebrity-ization of figures in politics. There is a similarity between the two, namely the aim to gain votes.
Professor Masduki, Professor of Communication Science at the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII), highlighted this point. There are two phenomena of celebrity politics that can be seen in practice in Indonesia.
“First, there are celebrities who become politicians because of celebrity politics. However, there is also something called the celebritization of politics,” said Masduki when talking to Konde.co on Wednesday (3/9/2025).
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Celebrity politics refers to celebrities who are already popular in the entertainment world and then enter the political arena. This, according to him, can be the most beneficial aspect of celebrity politics.
On the other hand, there is also the phenomenon of individuals who want to enter politics but do not have a celebrity background, yet they use “celebrity tactics” that leverage media platforms. “So it’s mediated politics,” he said.
Compared to politicians who campaign traditionally, they use platforms such as social media for public campaigns. Thus, there are more efficient benefits and they can reach a wider audience.
Masduki’s opinion is in line with Media Richness Theory. This phenomenon of celebrity politics can be explained as the richness of communication media that influences public interaction and perception of celebrities in relation to their political roles.
Richard L Daft and Robert H Lengel in 1986 in ‘Organizational Information Requirement, Media Richness and Structural Design’ stated that the effectiveness of communication depends on the richness of the media used.
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In today’s context, social media such as Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok have become platforms used to facilitate celebrity interactions with the public. Para-social relationships can also be strengthened and built through interactions on these platforms. Thus, the goal of gaining popularity and emotional closeness can be achieved. Ultimately, political support continues to flow.
The public, who already feel emotionally “close,” trust celebrities and view them as authentic figures. This continuous exposure can be more effective than traditional politicians whose approach is more formal or rigid.
Masduki cited the example of KDM, Kang Dedi Mulyadi, who polished his image through various social media channels. Although he is not a celebrity, he used “celebrity tactics” to attract public sympathy.
KDM presents himself as a “father” figure to the people of West Java. He personalizes himself as a “down-to-earth” and hard-working leader. On the TikTok platform, which now has 10 million followers, he writes his branding for himself: Bapak Aing “Ngurus Lembur Nata Kota” (My father works hard to take care of the city).
In his social media content, KDM often displays simple gestures and a modest lifestyle. He also engages in politainment on various occasions.
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This is a combination of politics and entertainment with mass media to convey political messages in a more entertaining style. The goal is to build closeness and emotional appeal with the public.
Remotivi, in “Tolak Basa-Basi Politik” (Rejecting Political Small Talk), also discussed the phenomenon of politainment by public officials in media coverage in the context of the 2024 elections. For example, in the presidential and vice presidential candidate debates, the focus was on insubstantial matters. Several news stories, such as Gibran wearing shoes from a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), Ganjar-Mahfud wearing traditional attire, and Cak Imin’s microphone falling.
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These trivial pieces of information shaped the media throughout December 2023. The emphasis was on sensational trivialities for the public.
The media also used a personalization frame. The focus was on characterization, such as the attitudes, gestures, personalities, and families of the candidates. There was also a competition frame that made political coverage seem like a contest.
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According to observations by the Konde.co – Gender Data Research Team, Indonesian politics in the last decade has actually been dominated by the logic of entertainment. Jokowi once popularized the “blusukan” style as a symbol of closeness to the people.
According to populism expert Margaret Canovan, this strategy is a form of “direct appeal to the people,” where leaders appear simple to emphasize their distance from the elite. However, in practice, the symbol of simplicity mostly covers up the substance of policies. The public is more familiar with Jokowi’s image as a populist leader than with the content of his programs.
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In the Prabowo-Gibran era, politainment has jumped even further into the digital world. The “gemoy” campaign, TikTok dances, and funny memes show how politics is completely subject to the logic of the media.
Ross Tapsell, a professor at the Australian National University, believes that this strategy has even given rise to a new form of what he calls “toxic positivity.” Instead of debating policies or the past, Prabowo appears with positive energy, avoids confrontation, and makes the public feel that everything is fine. According to Tapsell, this method is actually more difficult to counter because it closes the space for criticism and obscures substantive discussion.
Celebrity Politics, the Instant Way for Political Parties to Gain Electability
Dr. Hurriyah, Director of the Centre for Political Studies at the University of Indonesia (UI), adds that this celebrity politics is a quick way for political parties to gain public votes.
“It’s really a pragmatic calculation,” Hurriyah told Konde.co on Wednesday (September 3, 2025).
Talking about celebrity politics from celebrities who enter politics, she explained that celebrities who are already known to the public are an advantage for political parties in recruiting them. In addition to being efficient in terms of campaign budgets, their popularity can also boost the party’s electability.
“Those with popularity, the easiest are artists (celebrities),” she said.
Additionally, there are also figures whose popularity is boosted. They are figures who are made celebrities in politics. This can be used by those from elite circles who have resources to mobilize the masses with image polishing. Furthermore, it can also be people who have “access.”
“These are definitely people who have privileges, who have access. Access to party officials, they have family connections. This is why we see trends such as political dynasties and so on. So if people have money, mobilization is easy,” she explained.
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With the resources they have, they can control the channels of promotion to the public. For example, they can “order” surveys to boost electability and polish their image in various media.
“Ultimately, they enter the public’s top of mind. These are common tactics. In this context, when parties become very pragmatic, they prioritize instant methods to win elections.”
The senior lecturer in political science at the University of Indonesia stated emphatically that political parties contributed to the root of this problem. Political parties only focus on being a vehicle to win elections through celebrity politics.
“So, there is a meeting of interests between parties that want to win quickly, using instant methods, without wanting to work hard,” she said.
Meanwhile, those who hold office through celebrity politics can reap the benefits. Not only do they receive large salaries and allowances, but they also gain access to other “side benefits.” According to Hurriyah, these political positions have become an attractive business opportunity.
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Additionally, the current political accountability system in Indonesia still lacks oversight. Once elected, officials are not bound by accountability mechanisms. Do they adequately represent the interests of their constituents?
“That’s not how it works in Indonesia,” she emphasized.
That is why we see the phenomenon of celebrities who, even after becoming public officials, still take on work as celebrities. In fact, they consider their public office as a side job.
“We can see that singers continue to sing, comedians and MCs (masters of ceremony) continue to do their jobs. Nowadays, we can even see many artists entering politics to seek rent-seeking opportunities. Money laundering schemes often target artists’ businesses (celebrities).”
Don’t Lose Focus: The People Need Competence and Track Records
Amidst the rampant phenomenon of celebrity politics, the standard of selecting public officials based on competence and track record must be upheld.
Regarding competence, Hurriyah reminds us not to get caught up in the academic titles held by public officials. Especially in this day and age, academic titles can be politicized and falsified. As in Aurelie’s story about the offer of a bogus academic title, we can reflect on the case of Bahlil Lahadalia. His doctoral degree (S3) at the University of Indonesia was suspended due to allegations of academic and ethical violations.
“Nowadays, many politicians use (academic degrees) as a status symbol. That’s why so many of them pursue honorary degrees, etc.,” said Hurriyah.
On one hand, there is public discussion about the large number of public officials, including council members, who are high school graduates. Among celebrities in the 2025-2029 Indonesian House of Representatives, there are Iyeth Bustami, Rachel Maryam, Nafa Urbach (inactive), Mulan Jameela, and Ahmad Dhani.
Therefore, there have been proposals for standard rules regarding educational levels. At a minimum, officials should have a bachelor’s degree. The public hopes that, at the very least, public officials with academic degrees will have the “knowledge capacity” to voice the rights of the people.
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However, Hurriyah emphasized not to get caught up in glorifying academic degrees. The problem remains the same; if we only refer to academic degrees, there will still be loopholes that can be exploited, especially when there are resources and power involved.
This can lead to class bias and exclusivity, especially when public officials come from poor and vulnerable backgrounds.
According to Hurriyah, the competency that should be understood when selecting public officials is how well they truly understand and represent the people they lead. How they have an inclusive and gender-sensitive perspective. What their track record is in fighting for these things.
However, even figures who understand and fight for the constituents they represent often find it difficult to get elected. This is especially true if they come from poor and vulnerable groups. Not only do they have limited resources and access, but they are also shackled by stigmatization in society. They even face gender-based violence such as sexual harassment.
In the 2024 elections, we can see how candidates from poor backgrounds such as Yuni (a domestic worker in Jakarta), Lestareno (a public minibus driver in Purwakarta), Juli Basaroni (a chicken noodle vendor in Karawang), and Slamet (a soap seller in Solo) struggled.
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More structurally, these public office candidates should also have been trained in political education by political parties. They should be well-versed in knowledge and experience in fighting for pro-people policies.
The problem with political parties is that many legislative candidates or regional head candidates can be nominated immediately. They do not have to go through a series of processes within the political party.
“That person cannot just suddenly become a candidate. They must first join the party for at least 2 years, for example. They must also have experience (how to make laws, etc.) before being placed in the House of Representatives. That is what we call meritocracy in the context of political parties,” she explained.
It is also not about choosing public officials based on kinship and being in the circle of power and mobilizing through celebrity politics. Even worse, if this is done through manipulation and undermining democracy.
“How meritocracy has been destroyed, the most perfect example is Gibran. Destroying meritocracy is not just about using dynastic politics, but more than that, he is involved in constitutional manipulation. That’s why the term ‘Illegitimate Child of the Constitution’ is valid, right?” said Hurriyah.
We Must Be Critical and Push for Systemic Change
Social media platforms have become a “battleground” for celebrity politics. They compete with each other to polish their image to attract sympathy and votes. As in political dramaturgy, what is shown on the surface is not always in line with what is behind the scenes, so a critical attitude is non-negotiable.
Masduki advised, especially for young people who were born when the internet era was booming and who love social media platforms that spread instant information, to be critical in filtering messages.
“So there needs to be literacy that the mediated world of politics is not always the same as what actually happens in the field. So there is a tendency for people who enter politics through the media to engage in what is called personal engineering,” said Masduki.
In addition, the media also plays an important role in political education for the public. One way to do this is to be critical of the self-image presented by public officials amid the current celebrity politics. This can be demonstrated by reporting on the real conditions on the ground, criticizing policies with data and facts, and encouraging accountability and pro-people policies from public officials.
“The media must help oversee the transformation from the phenomenon of political celebrities and celebrity politics to real political action, or more concrete political actions,” he continued.
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Once elected, he also urged public officials to play their proper role. That is, to serve the public interest, not to “hitch a ride” to make a living under the pretext of representing the public.
Celebrities who enter politics, for example, should not treat public office as a “side job.” They should continue to work in the entertainment world and earn money there. This is especially true if they abuse their authority for their own interests and those of their group.
Both Masduki and Hurriyah agree that it is necessary to push for systematic changes in political party regulations. This mainly concerns substantive political education that promotes meritocracy within political parties.
The Political Party Law currently in force in Indonesia is Law No. 2 of 2008 on Political Parties, as amended by Law No. 2 of 2011. This law regulates various aspects, including the requirements for formation, management, amendments to the Articles of Association and Bylaws (ADART), political education, and political party finances.
“The issue of political parties is covered in the Political Parties Law. But if we want to include it in the election law, we can also include the requirements for candidacy. Therefore, in my opinion, the revision of the election law must be accompanied by a revision of the political party law as well,” concluded Hurriyah.
(Luthfi Maulana Adhari contributed to compiling visual data on celebrities elected as members of the Indonesian House of Representatives for the 2024-2029 term, as well as data and explanations regarding politainment in the election victories of Jokowi and Prabowo-Gibran.)
(Translator: Theresia Pratiwi Elingsetyo Sanubari)
