The solemn atmosphere of Friday noon prayers (Nov. 7) at the mosque of SMA Negeri 72 Jakarta in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, suddenly turned into chaos after a bomb exploded at the site. Several students who were praying were injured and taken to the nearest hospital. Not long after the incident, the police identified one student from the school as a suspect, based on witness statements and evidence gathered at the scene.
The education community was undeniably shocked by the incident. Many were left confused and astonished by the extreme action taken by a high school student. Questions emerged regarding the perpetrator’s life, including his social, psychological, and educational conditions.
The case is particularly tragic because the perpetrator is a minor. Several sources even suggest that he may have been a victim of bullying who lacked a safe space for protection.
His reluctance to open up about the bullying he experienced allegedly led to psychological repression, creating feelings of being excluded from the community, unappreciated, and ostracized.
Lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), AB. Widyanta stated that the explosion at SMA Negeri 72 Jakarta can be examined from two perspectives: sociological and psychosocial.
He argued that the psychological pressure experienced by a child does not arise in a vacuum, but rather from an accumulation of social issues that accumulate and become internalized. He explained that the impacts of bullying often manifest in deeply personal emotional responses.
“What he experienced was emotional pain, a deep sense of anger, but also a desire for revenge. The visible implication is the emergence of aggressive behavior stimulated by the bullying he went through,” said Widyanta at Fisipol UGM on Friday (Nov. 14).
As an observer, Widyanta considers this phenomenon to be the first of its kind in Indonesia. He believes the perpetrator’s extreme act is purely personal and not connected to any radical group or ideology.
“I see this as a purely personal reaction to violence in his environment, facilitated by digital technology,” he explained.
Widyanta added that the family’s inability to fulfill emotional needs, schools trapped in market-driven competition, and the state’s failure to protect children from harmful digital exposure are interconnected factors.
Therefore, he emphasized the need for strong engagement from families, schools, communities, and the state.
“This child is a victim, and he grew up in an ecosystem that reproduces violence,” he said.
In response to the case, Widyanta stated that the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs should also bear responsibility. To prevent similar incidents, access to unsuitable digital content must be restricted and, if necessary, made difficult for children to obtain.
“The ministry has the authority to regulate digital technology. They must stop acting carelessly by allowing children to access violence-related links, or even online gambling, loan apps, and everything else. This must not be allowed,” he urged.
Widyanta stressed that this incident should serve as a serious warning for all stakeholders to reassess the current education system and social structures.
He believes a long-term approach is needed, one that focuses on family welfare, humane learning environments, and critical digital literacy for the younger generation.
“In this case, the child is a reflection of a shattered mirror, and all of us are shattered mirrors as well,” he concluded.
Author: Jelita Agustine
Editor: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Illustration: Hukumonline