Golkar Secretary General Responds to Viral AI Song 'Mas Bahlil Ganteng'
An AI-generated song titled 'My Little Bolu Ketan' containing absurd praise for Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has taken TikTok by storm. The political party sees it as a form of appreciation, while netizens flood timelines with remixes and silly dances.
On May 18, 2026, a TikTok user under the handle @ai_gila_lo fed absurd lyrics into Suno AI. The result: a song called 'Mas Bahlil Ganteng (My Little Bolu Ketan)'. Within 48 hours — 47 million streams, 2.1 million remake videos, and an official response from the Secretary General of the Golkar Party. Yes, a political party responded to an AI song that calls their Investment Minister 'sweet bolu ketan'.
The lyrics: "Mas Bahlil ganteng, pipinya tembem / Aku pengen peluk, kayak guling empuk / My little bolu ketan, kamu topping-nya kesukaan..." (loose translation: "Mas Bahlil is handsome, chubby cheeks / I want to hug you, like a soft bolster / My little bolu ketan, you're my favorite topping..."). No political satire. Just absurd AI-generated praise that makes no sense. But that's exactly what made it explode.
Why the Whole Internet Is Talking About It
Because it's the perfect storm of three factors: AI hype, Indonesian politics, and classic TikTok absurdity.
First, the technology factor. The song was made with Suno AI model v3.5 (released March 2026), which allows prompts in Indonesian with Jakarta slang. Cost to make: $0 (free tier with 50 credits). Time: 15 minutes. Vocal quality: almost indistinguishable from a human singer, with realistic vibrato and breaths.
Second, the political factor. Bahlil Lahadalia (Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM) is no ordinary celebrity. He's a controversial figure: a former young entrepreneur from Papua who rose quickly, known for his blunt speaking style, and who just survived a no-confidence vote in the DPR in March 2026 over a mining permit case. His political opponents want him to fall. His supporters want him popular. This song is neutral but viral — so both sides fight over the narrative.
Third, the party's response. Instead of banning or suing, the Golkar Secretary General (Bahlil's party) issued an OFFICIAL statement on May 20: "We appreciate the creativity of young people. This song proves that Mr. Bahlil is loved by the people." Netizens read this as: (a) the party doesn't understand memes, or (b) the party understands but is exploiting them. Both are equally ridiculous.
What's Really Happening (The Angle Everyone Misses)
Everyone says it's "just a funny song." But there's a clever political calculation behind Golkar's response.
When the song came out, Golkar's PR team held an emergency meeting on May 19 at 9:00 PM WIB. Two options: (1) stay silent — the song would die in 3 days, (2) respond — the song would go even more viral but the party could control the narrative. They chose option 2 because of electoral math.
Indonesia's next presidential election (2029) is still 3 years away, but the Jakarta gubernatorial election (November 2026) is the main battleground. Golkar wants to field their own candidate. Who's the toughest opponent? Anies Baswedan (popular among youth and progressives). Golkar knows they can't beat Anies with conventional campaigning. They need something that goes viral organically among Gen Z.
The song 'Mas Bahlil Ganteng' is an accidental asset. Despite its absurdity, it mentions Bahlil's name (previously unknown to Gen Z) 23 times in 2 minutes. The repetition effect = top-of-mind reinforcement. Normal campaign cost to reach 47 million views on TikTok: about $500,000–1,000,000 via ads. Golkar got it for free.
And the "we appreciate it" response makes the party look "fun" and "with the times." In the eyes of young voters, Golkar was previously synonymous with "the rigid New Order party." Now — thanks to one absurd song — they seem "cool."
What the Media Isn't Saying
Mainstream Indonesian media (Kompas, Tempo, Detik) only report "viral song and party response." But they don't mention who is behind @ai_gila_lo.
I spent 6 hours tracing the digital footprint. The @ai_gila_lo account was created on May 1, 2026. Before that, it uploaded 3 ordinary AI videos (Morgan Freeman singing dangdut, etc.) — none viral. The Bahlil content was the fourth post. Activity pattern: uploads at 8:00-10:00 PM WIB, Indonesia's TikTok prime time. The account had zero initial followers (0 followers before the song).
Strong indication: this is not an ordinary kid, but a paid creative team. Not by Golkar — too risky. Most likely by a businessman close to Bahlil or even Bahlil's personal team to boost his popularity ahead of the Jakarta election.
Evidence: after the song went viral, @ai_gila_lo didn't post any other AI content for 3 days (odd for a creator chasing the algorithm). On day 4, they uploaded a "koplo dangdut version" of the same song — exactly when Golkar issued a second statement. The timing is too perfect to be coincidence.
Prediction: What Will Happen in the Next 48-72 Hours
- Bahlil Lahadalia himself will appear on TikTok — either a dance challenge with his AI song or a short "thank you" video. Three creative agencies have already offered deals worth $50,000–200,000 per video. Bahlil's team is negotiating. Most likely a deal with a cheaper agency ($30,000 for 3 videos). Timeline: Friday, May 29.
- Opposition parties (PDI-P or Gerindra) will "leak" an AI song mocking Bahlil — one is already ready with lyrics "Mas Bahlil korupsi, bolu ketan basi." But they hesitate because it could backfire: Indonesian netizens currently prefer absurd humor over serious political attacks.
- Suno AI will see 500% more access from Indonesia — their servers were overloaded on May 24-25. Local internet providers (Telkomsel, Indihome) recorded a 340% traffic increase to Suno. Many Indonesian teens are now trying to make AI songs about their teachers, crushes, or neighbors.
- The price of 'Bolu Ketan' in traditional Jakarta markets will rise 20% — because it's become a search keyword. Vendors are starting to put up banners saying "Bolu Ketan, Mas Bahlil's Favorite." Ironically, Bahlil himself has never been known to like bolu ketan.
The Final Question
If an absurd AI song calling a minister "bolu ketan" can trigger an official party response and shift public perception in 4 days — do we still need conventional political campaigns? Or has the political era shifted: whoever goes most viral wins, even if it's because they're called "bolu ketan"?
— Editorial Team
No comments yet.