Video doesn't show Indonesia's NasDem Party announcing new presidential candidate

  • This article is more than one year old.
  • Published on October 5, 2023 at 10:23
  • Updated on February 7, 2024 at 16:55
  • 5 min read
  • By AFP Indonesia
A pair of videos have racked up millions of views after they were shared in TikTok and Facebook posts falsely claiming they show Indonesia's secular NasDem Party "officially announcing" politician Ganjar Pranowo as its 2024 presidential candidate. The videos in fact omit the announcement of two other candidates that NasDem recommended as presidential candidates during a July 2022 event. Three months later, the party endorsed former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, who is seen as close to Indonesia's hard-line Muslims.

"NasDem Party officially endorses Ganjar Pranowo," reads Indonesian-language sticker text below a video posted on TikTok here on May 1, 2023, referring to the former governor of Indonesia's central Java province (archived link).

The 46-second video shows NasDem Party chairman Surya Paloh speaking on stage (archived links here and here). 

"I will disclose the recommendation given to me. This national plenary meeting has decided and chosen the name of the Republic of Indonesia presidential candidate that NasDem would endorse for the upcoming 2024 election: Ganjar Pranowo!" Surya says in the video. 

The video, which has garnered more than 2.3 million views, also has sticker text that reads: "Nasdem officially moves closer to PDIP".

Indonesia's ruling Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has endorsed Ganjar for the country's upcoming presidential election in 2024, where he will face stiff competition from Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto and former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan -- who came to power with the support of hard-line Islamists.

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Screenshot of the first false post, taken on October 2, 2023

Both PDI-P and NasDem Party are secular and the latter has supported the ruling party's pick in previous presidential polls (archived links here and here).

The claim was also shared on Facebook on August 14, 2023, alongside a similar video of Surya speaking at a podium taken from a different angle.

"Finally NASDEM endorses GANJAR as president for 2024," reads Indonesian-language text on the 52-second video.

The clip of Surya making the same speech, has been viewed more than 660,000 times. At the 36-second mark, it cuts to footage of Ganjar walking onstage to address a crowd.

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Screenshot of the second false post, taken on October 2, 2023

The second video also shows sticker text reading: "The Coalition for Change has dissolved?" -- referring to NasDem's political coalition with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) for the 2024 election (archived link). 

The two videos also circulated alongside a similar claim on TikTok here and here

However, the claim is false -- NasDem announced it was endorsing Anies Baswedan in October 2022 (archived link). Its choice is currently also supported by coalition members PKS and PKB (archived link). 

A reverse image search using keyframes from both videos found they show NasDem Party's national plenary meeting on June 17, 2022 and Surya's full speech announcing three recommended presidential candidates for the 2024 elections has been cut out.

First video

The first false video was taken from a Kompas TV report on June 17, 2022, titled: "These Are 3 Names Suggested by NasDem as 2024 Presidential Candidate: Anies, Andika Perkasa, Ganjar" (archived link).

The three-minute-long Kompas TV video started with Surya saying: "That's why I will disclose the recommendations given to me. This national plenary meeting has decided and chosen the recommended names of the Republic of Indonesia presidential candidate that NasDem would endorse for the upcoming 2024 election."

He went to say three names: former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, former Indonesian military commander Andika Perkasa and Ganjar. 

The false video omitted the moments Surya mentioned the names of Anies and Andika. 

Below is a screenshot comparison of the video in the second false post (left) and the original Kompas TV video (right):

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Screenshot comparison of the video in the second false post (left) and the original Kompas TV video (right)

Second video

The first part of the second video was taken from a Metro TV report on June 17, 2022, headlined: “Presidential Candidates Suggested by NasDem, Surya Paloh: Andika Perkasa, Anies Baswedan & Ganjar Pranowo” (archived link).

The two-minute, 33-second footage started with Surya saying: "NasDem is the best choice. That's why I will try to read out the recommendation given to me. This national plenary meeting has decided and chosen the recommended names of the Republic of Indonesia presidential candidate that NasDem would endorse for the upcoming 2024 election from three names." 

Then, just like the Kompas TV video, the Metro TV video shows Surya announcing the three names: Anies, Andika and then Ganjar.

In the false video, the moments Surya mentioned the two other names were not included. 

Below is a screenshot comparison of the video in the first false post (left) and the original Metro TV video (right):

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Screenshot comparison of the video in the first false post (left) and the original Metro TV video (right)

The scene showing Ganjar walking on stage to address an audience was taken from this Kompas TV video on July 19, 2023, headlined "[FULL] Ganjar Pranowo's Political Speech in Front of Volunteers, Talking About Political Situation Ahead of 2024 Presidential Election" (archived link).

Below is a screenshot comparison of the video in the first false post (left) and the original Kompas TV video (right):

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Screenshot comparison of the video in the first false post (left) and the original Kompas TV video (right)

That moment was also captured in this video report, published by Indonesian media Warta Kota on July 19, 2023 (archived link). 

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