The Viral Feud Between Yai Mim and Sahara! When a Neighborhood Dispute Becomes a National Issue

Written by: Nisrina Isnawati :30802300024

A short video changed everything. Dramatic scenes of an elderly cleric rolling on the ground, then being taken to the police with his head bandaged, flooded the timeline. In an instant, the feud between Yai Mim and Sahara, which stemmed from nothing more than a plot of land in a narrow alley in the city of Malang, exploded into a national debate.

KH. Muhammad Imam Muslimin, commonly known as Yai Mim, imagined spending his old age peacefully as a retired senior lecturer. And Sahara, his neighbor, probably just wanted his business to run smoothly. However, a plot of land that Yai Mim claimed as a waqf for a public road became a flashpoint. His reprimand regarding the use of the land for rental car parking and plans for a goat pen, which should have been resolved through deliberation, instead became fuel that ignited anger.

Then, social media took over. The video uploaded by Sahara with its sharp narration was like throwing embers onto a pile of husks. Netizens, with piecemeal information, immediately flooded the comments section. Yai Mim, the academic, instantly became a “suspect” in the public eye. Accusations of harassment and slander flew. The impact was devastating, as one day, Yai Mim and his wife had to watch themselves being evicted from their own home by the local residents.

“That's slander, framing that is very damaging to me and my family,” Yai Mim retorted firmly, trying to straighten out the narrative that had already become confused.

The dispute, which had already spilled into the public domain, inevitably entered the legal realm. Reports and counter-reports were filed. What began as a case about how many meters of land had changed hands turned into a complex discussion about waqf law, neighborly ethics in the digital age, and the reputation of an academic.

Now, all eyes are on the ongoing legal process. Many netizens are wondering: Will these lawsuits and reports end up in court, with a judge deciding who is right and who is wrong? Or will there be room to return this issue to its roots as a matter between two neighbors who should be able to settle their differences outside of court?

The conflict between Yai Mim and Sahara is a true reflection of our lives, which are now completely connected. It teaches a costly lesson: in a world where everything is exposed, a small dispute at the end of the street is no longer just a local neighborhood matter. It is fuel ready to explode at any moment, carried by the strong winds of social media, and witnessed and judged by millions of people who don’t even know the full story.