A video has racked up hundreds of thousands of views after it circulated with a false claim that it shows Indonesian politicians cheering for a banned communist party at a private meeting. Communism remains a taboo subject in Indonesia since the anti-communist mass killings in 1965-66. The video actually shows members of the Nusantara Awakening Party (PKN) chanting the name of their own organisation, not the defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

The eight-second video was posted to TikTok on August 20, 2023, where it has been viewed more than 2,700 times.

"PKI Victorious. Indonesian military, beware (of) the Nusantara Party," reads overlaid text on the video. "It would be dangerous if the PKI rose again and became victorious. Beware, people, don't be fooled by the Nusantara party."

Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on September 14, 2023

Widespread killings and incarcerations targeting members and suspected sympathisers of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) were carried out across the country in 1965 and 1966, spearheaded by the military under the late Soeharto, a military general turned president (archived link).

The PKI has been effectively banned since the anti-communist pogrom and advocating its ideology is outlawed (archived link).

"The Nusantara Party" refers to the Nusantara Awakening Party (PKN), a new political party established in 2021 that will contest in a legislative election for the first time in February 2024 (archived link).

Its leader is Anas...

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