A Phone Call That Ended in Death: Timeline of the Abuse of Serda Muzammil in the Indonesian Air Force
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- Puspomau mengungkap penganiayaan bermula dari ketersinggungan Serda MTS karena teleponnya diputus junior, Serda RP, pada 8 September 2026.
- Serda JM memukul dada Serda Ahmad Muzammil Farisa tiga kali hingga pingsan dan meninggal di IGD sekitar pukul 23.45 WIB.
- Empat tersangka ditahan dan dijerat pasal berlapis, memicu pertanyaan tentang budaya senioritas dan pengawasan internal di lingkungan militer.
The Commander of the Indonesian Air Force Military Police Center (Danpuspomau), Air Vice Marshal Daan Sulfi, revealed that the abuse that killed Serda Ahmad Muzammil Farisa was triggered by a trivial matter: a phone call hung up unilaterally. The incident occurred on 8 September 2026, when Serda MTS called his junior, Serda RP, to ask for administrative assistance. Feeling disrespected, MTS harbored a grudge that ended in violence a day later.
In a press conference at Puspomau Headquarters, Halim Perdanakusuma, East Jakarta, Wednesday (16/9/2026), Daan explained that MTS initially asked RP to add his name to the Air Force aircraft manifest because he was going on duty out of town. However, in the middle of the conversation, RP suddenly hung up. "There was an offense taken there," Daan said, recounting the atmosphere at the time. The next day, 9 September 2026, at around 21.10 WIB, MTS gathered three of his juniors—RP, ZN, and Muzammil—behind the Mess Psikologi Galaksi, Jalan Kopatdara, East Jakarta.
MTS then ordered RP to do 100 push-ups and sit-ups. About 30 minutes later, three other seniors—Serda JM, Serda MAD, and Serda AH—arrived and joined in. JM, who felt he was the most senior, gave a "warning" to Muzammil for being considered responsible for his juniors. However, the warning was accompanied by abuse. At 23.05 WIB, JM struck Muzammil's chest three times with a clenched fist. After the third blow, the victim fell, went limp, and then fainted. Muzammil was rushed to the emergency room and pronounced dead at around 23.45 WIB.
This case is not merely an ordinary crime. It exposes the dark side of the seniority culture in the military that often escapes oversight. According to military observers, patterns of physical punishment and informal "education" such as mass push-ups still occur frequently, but are rarely revealed because of the strong corps solidarity. This incident came to public attention after Puspomau held a press conference, signaling growing pressure for transparency.
"This is a warning from me, so remember," Air Vice Marshal Daan said, imitating Serda JM's words, which were then followed by the beating.
For readers in Indonesia, especially investors and professionals, this case highlights governance risks in an institution that should be the backbone of the nation's defense. When seniority-based violence is allowed, discipline and professionalism are at stake. The impact could spill over into public trust in the Indonesian Air Force, which has been aggressively building an image of being modern and technology-adaptive. If not handled thoroughly, incidents like this could disrupt internal stability, divert focus from the modernization of defense equipment, and ultimately affect the investment climate in the defense sector.
Puspomau stated it will investigate thoroughly and does not rule out the possibility of other suspects. However, the big question remains: will this legal process touch the cultural roots that trigger violence, or will it stop only at the perpetrators in the field? The public is waiting to see whether the Indonesian Air Force can reform its mentoring system without waiting for the next victim to fall.
