National

East Kalimantan Governor's Aide Shoves Protester, Govt Apologizes

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 20, 2026•3 min read

East Kalimantan provincial government admitted the governor's aide was wrong to shove a student protester in Samarinda; the aide has apologized.

Key Facts

Insiden terjadi Senin (19/10/2026) menjelang magrib di kawasan Masjid Nurul Mukminin, kompleks Kantor Gubernur Kaltim, Samarinda, saat Gubernur Rudy Mas'ud hendak menunaikan salat Magrib.
Ajudan bernama Aski terekam menyenggol ponsel yang digunakan demonstran untuk merekam hingga terjatuh, lalu terlibat kontak fisik dengan seorang demonstran; menurut Tim Ahli Gubernur, seorang demonstran perempuan disebut mengalami kontak fisik.
Massa GMNI Samarinda telah berunjuk rasa sejak sore hari menuntut evaluasi kepemimpinan nasional dan aksi nyata Pemprov Kaltim menangani karhutla; mereka belum sempat bertemu gubernur karena padatnya agenda.
Tim Ahli Gubernur Kaltim Bidang Informasi dan Komunikasi Publik Sudarno, Selasa (20/10/2026) via Detikcom, mengakui tindakan fisik ajudan tidak dapat dibenarkan dan menyebut Aski sudah dikonfirmasi serta meminta maaf.
Sudarno menilai kedua pihak perlu dievaluasi: demonstran menghadang gubernur di area masjid disertai celetukan — "kalau mau objektif dan fair, itu salah dua-duanya".

East Kalimantan Govt Admits Aide Was in the Wrong

Sudarno, an expert team member for East Kalimantan (Kaltim) Governor on Information and Public Communication, acknowledged that the physical altercation involving Governor Rudy Mas'ud's aide against a demonstrator from the Indonesian National Student Movement (GMNI - Gerakan Mahasiswa Nasional Indonesia) Samarinda cannot be justified. He also stated that the aide, named Aski, has been questioned about the incident and has apologized.

'The physical contact carried out by Aski, the governor's aide, cannot be justified. Nothing justifies it,' Sudarno told Detikcom on Tuesday (10/20/2026). 'I also confirmed with him earlier, and he apologized for the incident.'

The incident between East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas'ud's aide and GMNI Samarinda protesters sparked widespread backlash after the video went viral on social media on Monday (10/19/2026).

Chronology at Nurul Mukminin Mosque

The incident, which occurred just before Maghrib prayer, took place when Rudy was about to pray at the Nurul Mukminin Mosque in the East Kalimantan Governor's office complex in Samarinda, while a crowd was staging a protest regarding forest and land fires (karhutla).

In the circulating footage, Aski was seen escorting Rudy toward the mosque before knocking down a mobile phone being used to record. Following that, he approached a young man and engaged in physical contact that escalated into a verbal confrontation. According to Sudarno, a female protester was also reported to have experienced physical contact during the altercation.

According to Sudarno, the crowd had intercepted the governor upon entering the mosque area, accompanied by brief verbal remarks from protesters before the altercation with the aide ensued.

GMNI Protest Demands Action on Forest Fires

The GMNI Samarinda crowd had been demonstrating since late afternoon. Based on information gathered by Sudarno, the protesters had not yet been able to meet the governor due to his tight schedule.

They took to the streets demanding an evaluation of the national leadership and urging concrete action from the East Kalimantan Provincial Government in handling the disaster of forest and land fires. When the protest occurred, the crowd was gathered around the mosque, which served as both a rally point and a dispersal site for the demonstration.

'Both Sides Were in the Wrong'

While expressing criticism over the demonstrators' conduct, Sudarno reiterated that this did not justify the physical contact made by Aski. He noted that holding a protest around the mosque required careful consideration as it is a place of worship.

Sudarno also considered the protesters' actions—blocking the governor while recording video and shouting remarks within the mosque grounds—inappropriate. He stated that the incident should be viewed by taking into account the conduct of both parties.

Sudarno stated that, if assessed objectively and fairly, both sides were in the wrong.