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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A post circulated on Instagram (first account [archive] and second account ) on June 3, 2026, claiming that the Sumatra island blackout in Indonesia was deliberately staged. The goal was to facilitate the smuggling of nuclear materials worth trillions of rupiah into the Riau Islands.
The content showed the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Richard Tampubolon, inspecting mineral containers seized by the Indonesian Navy at the Batam IV Regional Military Command Pier, Riau Islands. The smuggling of approximately 309 tons of nuclear materials in 25 containers was thwarted.
This incident was linked to the power outage in Sumatra on May 22, 2026, which was deliberately staged to facilitate the smuggling.
Was it true that the Sumatra blackout was deliberately engineered to facilitate the smuggling of nuclear fuel worth trillions of rupiah into the Riau Islands?
FACT CHECK
Tempo verified the content through a reverse image search and compared it with credible media reports. The results showed that the two incidents were not related.
Tempo wrote that an investigation by the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) confirmed that there was no element of intent or sabotage in the blackout that occurred in several areas of Sumatra on Friday, May 22, 2026.
"To date, we can confirm that there are no indications of sabotage or deliberate action in the blackout," said Inspector General Nunung Syaifuddin, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Indonesian National Police, in a press conference at his office in Jakarta on Monday, May 25, 2026.
In processing the crime scene at the point where the extra high-voltage overhead line (SUTET) 175-176 in Muaro Jambi Regency, Jambi, the police involved the National Police Forensic Laboratory Center and PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero). The severed cables were also taken to the National Police Forensic Laboratory Center for analysis.
PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo, in an official statement, stated that the mass power outage in Sumatra on Friday, May 22, 2026, starting at 6:44 PM Western Indonesian Time, was caused by bad weather that impacted parts of the Sumatran electricity system.
A number of provinces affected included Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, and Jambi.
Video Verification
Based on Tempo's investigation, the video is identical to an upload on the YouTube accounts of Kompas TV and TvOneNews on May 28, 2026. The video shows the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Lieutenant General Richard Tampubolon, Deputy Chief of the Forest Area Control Task Force (PKH), inspecting a mineral container seized by the Indonesian Navy at the Kodaeral IV Pier in Batam, Riau Islands.
The inspection was conducted after the PKH Task Force received a report from Indonesian Navy investigators regarding the operation of a mineral transport vessel on May 17, 2026.
The Riau Islands Naval Regional Command (Koarmada) IV has foiled an alleged smuggling attempt to smuggle 390 tons of titanium oxide and rare earth metals suspected of containing radioactive elements for nuclear fuel.
The materials were being transported by the TB Capricorn vessel from Bangka Belitung to Indonesia via the waters of the Riau Islands. Koarmada IV deployed the KRI Kujang 642 to secure the vessel as it transited to Singapore.
Preliminary investigations indicate that 15 of the 25 containers belonging to PT MM are suspected of containing illegal titanium oxide and rare earth metals worth trillions of rupiah. The case is currently being investigated by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Attorney General's Office for further legal proceedings.
According to Batam Pos, laboratory tests found hazardous minerals such as zirconium oxide, thorium oxide, neodymium oxide, triuranium octoside, and cerium oxide in samples seized from the TB Capricorn 106/TK Capricorn 92.210 vessel. These minerals are strongly suspected to originate from illegal mining activities or the management of minerals and coal without official permits.
CONCLUSION
Tempo's verification concluded that the claim that the Sumatra blackout was deliberately engineered to facilitate the smuggling of nuclear raw materials worth trillions of rupiah in the Riau Islands is misleading.
TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM
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