TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The social media trend #KaburAjaDulu has sparked discussions among netizens on X in February 2025, coinciding with growing public disappointment towards President Prabowo Subianto's administration.

Ismail Fahmi, the founder of big data consulting company Drone Emprit, said that the hashtag which translates to 'let's just run away' was an expression of netizens about the current situation in Indonesia.

"The 'Kabur Aja Dulu' hashtag is used to express the desire to move abroad, a reaction to the conditions in Indonesia," Ismail said in a statement quoted on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

Based on Drone Emprit's observations on X, this expression arose as a response to dissatisfaction with economic conditions and perceived declines in social justice. Additionally, Drone Emprit noted many netizens used the hashtag to express their dissatisfaction with the government's policies.

Ismail stated that this hashtag has actually appeared since September 2023 but resurfaced in early January 2025. On January 8, 2025, an X account @amouraXexa tweeted using #KaburAjaDulu, but its reach was still very small.

According to him, the hashtag went viral after several prominent accounts such as @hrdbacot, @SumitroYoel, and @berlianidris joined the discussion. Based on Drone Emprit's Social Network Analysis (SNA) data from September 1, 2023, to February 8, 2025, these three accounts had the most significant reach in spreading #KaburAjaDulu.

"In total, there were over 8,000 accounts participating in conversations about 'Kabur Aja Dulu,'" Ismail said.

The hashtag also drew responses from several officials in government ministries and agencies. Manpower Minister Yassierli said that the 'Kabur Aja Dulu' hashtag was an expression of public aspirations. He referred to it as a challenge for the government.

"This is a challenge for us if it is indeed related to their aspirations. Come on, government, create better jobs, that is our note," Yassierli said at the Presidential Palace on Monday, February 17, 2025.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning (ATR)/Head of the National Land Agency (BPN) Nusron Wahid stated that people who followed the 'Kabur Aja Dulu' trend seemed to show a lack of patriotism towards their homeland.

"Are they Indonesian citizens? If we are true patriots, when there are issues, we solve them together," Nusron said after giving a press statement at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, February 17, 2025.

Several other ministers such as Minister of the Migrant Workers Protection (P2MI) Abdul Kadir Karding encouraged an increase in the capacity of Indonesian migrant workers or Indonesian laborers (TKI) in response to the 'Kabur Aja Dulu' hashtag. He viewed the phenomenon of working abroad as a positive thing.

Hendrik Yaputra contributed to the writing of this article.

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