Pembantah

Pembantah is an Indonesian noun meaning a person who objects, disputes, or refutes a claim, proposal, or decision. The term derives from bantah, meaning to dispute, with the agentive prefix pe-, forming an agent noun that denotes the person performing the act of disputing. It is used in both formal and informal contexts to describe someone who raises objections, offers counterarguments, or challenges a proposition.

In legal and administrative settings, a pembantah is a party that files objections or expresses dissent against a decision, proposal, or policy. In legislative, regulatory, or bureaucratic processes, opponents or objectors may be described as pembantah. The term emphasizes the act of voicing disagreement rather than endorsing the position in question.

In academia, pembantah often refers to an examiner or opponent in thesis or dissertation defenses who scrutinizes the work, questions the candidate, and presents counterarguments. Their role is to test the robustness of the research and the defendability of the conclusions. The concept can also apply to public debates or court-style proceedings where one side presents challenges to the other.

In everyday language, pembantah can simply denote a critic or skeptic who challenges a claim. The usage tends to be neutral in tone, though the perception of antagonism depends on context and manner of argument.

Overall, pembantah designates a person who engages in objection or critique, playing a role in ensuring critical scrutiny and thorough examination of ideas, proposals, or decisions.