Jakarta. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister and Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia said on Friday that he has forgiven social media users who created memes mocking him, urging his supporters to drop any legal action over the incident.

“I think if there are memes about me, it’s fine, I forgive them,” Bahlil told reporters at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Friday. “It’s not a problem.”

The minister said he had instructed members of the Golkar Party’s youth and affiliated organizations to end efforts to file a complaint against the content creator.

“I will call my younger colleagues in the party’s youth wing to stop it. Those who have apologized are forgiven. Let’s not drag this out,” he said. “But I hope this serves as a lesson, let’s set a good example for the people, the nation, and the country.”

Bahlil added that he was not personally offended by the memes circulating online, saying he had grown accustomed to insults since his childhood.

“I’ve been used to being insulted since I was little because I wasn’t born into privilege. My mother was a laundry worker, and my father was a construction laborer. So insults are nothing new to me, they’ve been around since my elementary school days,” he said.

The minister acknowledged that criticism toward government policies is a normal part of democracy but cautioned against comments that cross the line into personal attacks or racial slurs.

“It’s okay to criticize government policies, that’s part of a healthy democracy,” Bahlil said. “But when it becomes personal or takes on a racist tone, that’s not right.”

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