For subscribers
Social media preachers under the spotlight
Popular but provocative
Social media preachers like Abdul Somad Batubara attract a following by using humour but some of their remarks incite hatred and appeal to identity politics, observers note
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Sitting before a Muslim congregation, controversial Indonesian preacher Abdul Somad Batubara made disparaging remarks about the Christian crucifix.
"There's an infidel djinn (spirit) in the crucifix," he said during a sermon at a mosque in Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province, courting laughter. The footage went viral on social media in August 2019, sparking massive public outcry.
