A TV talk show featuring President Megawati’s cabinet ministers is suspected to be a political campaign in disguise.
EVERY day, from Monday through Sunday, the government television station, TVRI, has a special program: Gotong Royong Merajut Masa Depan (With Mutual Help Preparing for the Future). It is broadcast at prime time, 7:30pm-9pm. This program shows, by turn, ministers of the Gotong Royong Cabinet. Last Thursday, for instance, it was the turn of the Minister of Home Affairs concurrently interim Coordinating Minister of Political & Security Affairs, Hari Sabarno.
Usi Karundeng and Peter Gontha, as interviewers, asked Hari Sabarno to talk about the implementation of regional autonomy during his three years assisting President Megawati Sukarnoputri. This program, which lasted for up to one and a half hours, included advertisements by two big banks, Bank Mandiri and BNI. Reportedly it was this program which caused the removal of Hari Sulistyono from TVRI. How come?
Last February, the State Minister for State-Owned Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi removed Hari Sulistyono and Emmy Anggraeni Hardjanto from the positions of president director and program and news director of TVRI, respectively. Hari was replaced by Yasirwan Uyun. Enny’s position was split into two. Nunuk Parwati became news director and Alex Kumara program director.
These changes, according to Laksamana, were made because the two of them had sold prime time slots of the public TV station. But, rumors circulating have it that they were removed because they rejected a program offered by a political party through their people within the station, i.e. “Mega Replies” and “Mega’s Quiz.” Under the new directors, Mega Replies turned up in the form of the above-mentioned talk show. Mega’s Quiz will reportedly also come up soon.
Sulistyono laughed, when he was asked about the matter. “People will know the truth, whether I was removed because of selling show time or for another reason,” he said. He considers at present the TVRI shows tend to side with Mega-Hasyim. If there are indeed biased shows, the effect will be violations of the rules of the game on a fair and clean general election.
Yasirwan Uyun firmly denied allegations of identifying programs as favoring the Mega-Hasyim pair. Previously the program had been broadcast once a week under the title The Cabinet Replies. The change in name was only because of the intention to focus on the Gotong Royong Cabinet. It is shown every day, because time is running short, with the ministers nearing the end of their work period. As for Mega’s Quiz, Yasirwan maintains that he does not know about it.
On the live broadcasting of the Mega-Hasyim camp’s National Coalition, he views it merely from the news value. “This is the first time that four big parties join together, it has a big news value,” he said. “It is understandable that I showed it live.” When asked if the Yudhoyono-Kalla camp set up a coalition, would TVRI also broadcast it live, Yasirwan responded, “it depends on whether the show time is being used by someone else or not.”
Two guest presenters at that time, Hinca Panjaitan and Peter Gontha, also said that for their part they were just hosting the program. Hinca said that he maintained a critical attitude and was alert that the program could become a disguised campaign. He admitted that as the second round of the presidential election nears, it could make people think it was a campaign in disguise.
A member of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, Bimo Nugroho, said that the Commission was pushed to provide political education by broadcasting socialization programs without appeals to choose a certain candidate. Each candidate should be given a maximum of 30 minutes each day. Nearing the second round of the presidential election, only then could TV stations give a chance to the Mega-Hasyim camp. “We’re going to monitor it continuously,” he said.
Leanika Tanjung
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