Amidst the global outbreak of COVID-19 in Indonesia, the government has been under the spotlight for not being
able to formulate a proper response. Aside from the malfunctioning bureaucracy, the low compliance among citizens
toward public health advice complicates the impact of COVID-19 in Indonesia. One factor that contributes to the
attitude of society is the spread of false information and conspiracy theories associated to the virus itself. How do
we explain the propagation of conspiracy theories under the threat of COVID-19 in Indonesia? The article argues
that the spread of conspiracy theories amidst the pandemic reflects the on-going contestation of political legitimacy
between the state and society in Indonesia. To elaborate this point, the article elucidates the three critical junctures
that buttressed the propagation of conspiracy theories. First, conspiracy theory was utilized as a foundation of
authoritarian regime of Soeharto, and later became an institutionalized tool to maintain its power. Second, the
entanglement between democratic ecosystem and proliferation of social media after Reformasi, has enabled society
to appropriate conspiracy theories as a form of resistance and skepticism toward government. Third, the tension
between state and society in regards to the authority manifested on the contention on COVID-19 management
in Indonesia. The government has been trying to maintain the legitimacy by being secretive on COVID-19
information. At the same time, some elements of society responded to the secretive government with propagation
conspiracy theories that also justify public disobedience toward health protocols. These combinations have further
exacerbated the impact of COVID-19 in Indonesia
