M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – After 26 episodes of mocking and lampooning the country's political leaders, the groundbreaking political satire Republik Benar-Benar Mabok (Truly Drunken Republic) has been taken off the air. Monday night was the show's last episode.

The stated reason for the show's end was so that the cast and crew of the late-night show could spend more time watching the World Cup. However, one of the show's producers believes corporate pressure was the primary reason for the show's termination.

Effendi Gazali of the University of Indonesia's postgraduate communications program, a co-producer of the show, said that since Vice President Jusuf Kalla was reported to be wary about the program, private broadcaster Indosiar had put many limitations on the Republic BBM creative team, sapping the vigor and spontaneity of the program.

"It seems that Indosiar could not wait to terminate the 26-episode contract with us after the Kalla controversy, and it was only with support from the media and our friends from non-governmental organizations that we could survive until the end," Effendi told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

In April, during a recent meeting with Kalla, some private TV station owners slammed the show, saying it crossed the line by poking fun at the country's leaders.

Republik BBM programs depict a fictitious president and vice president, who bear an uncanny resemblance to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and deputy Kalla. The series documents the pair's scramble to find ministers in their cabinet who can effectively solve the country's myriad social and economic problems.

After the meeting between Kalla and executives, rumors quickly spread that Kalla had ordered the highly rating program off the air, which he denied. Following the meeting, Indosiar gave a list of "dos and don'ts" to the Republik BBM creative team, which Effendi said was an attempt to sanitize the show.

Because of the list, Effendi and Kelik Pelipur Lara, a Yogyakarta-based comedian who played the over-energetic Kalla, declined to appear in the show's last six episodes. "Other cast and crew were willing to take part in the show only to fulfill their contractual obligations to Indosiar," Effendi said.

Indosiar spokesman Ghufron T. Sakaril, however, denied the show's termination had to do with corporate pressure. "The official reason for the closure is the one stated during the show's last broadcast; that leaders of the Republik BBM could spend more of their time watching the World Cup," Ghufron told the Post, chuckling.

Ghufron said it had been agreed from the outset that Republik BBM would only last for 26 episodes. "It is up to them (the show's creative team) if they want to find a new station to broadcast the show in the future."