M. Taufiqurrahman and Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Soccer fans glued to televisions, anxiously awaiting the opening match between Germany and Costa Rica received an unexpected shock Friday night, when former president Soeharto's daughter Titiek appeared as the show's host.
After the tiring television coverage of Soeharto's illness and a family feud that involved his son Bambang Trihatmodjo, TV viewers now have to cope with the presence of another member of Soeharto's family sunning themselves in the media spotlight.
The public could be forgiven for thinking the appearance of Titiek was part of a public relations campaign launched by the Soeharto family to mend its tarnished image.
Ade Armando of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) said the move was politically charged and could be seen as part of a campaign to win back the hearts of the public in the long run. However, Titiek has done it in a very inelegant way, he said.
"Technically speaking, she is not someone who knows a lot about soccer. Politically, she is not known as clean figure and physically she is not very attractive to lure viewers," Ade told The Jakarta Post.
He said the ill-advised decision would only further damage the image of the Soeharto family. "She has dug her own grave, as people are aware that the supposed come-back of the Soeharto family has not been done in an elegant way," he said.
Ade said his commission would seek clarification from SCTV over its decision to use Titiek as a presenter for the World Cup.
"As a private television station, SCTV makes use of a frequency that belongs to the public. It therefore should not allow it to be used as a vehicle by which politicians can promote their own interests," he told The Jakarta Post.
Titiek is the commissioner of PT Abhitama Mediatama, a subsidiary of telecommunications and IT company Elang Mahkota Teknologi. Abhitama later took a controlling share in SCTV and she became one of its station's commissioners.
The World Cup is just the latest in a string of shows that have been hijacked by powerful businessmen and politicians to polish their images.
SCTV earlier ran a lengthy feature about Titiek handing out Rp 100 million to refugees fleeing Merapi eruption and asking the people to forgive her ailing father.
Private TV stations RCTI also came under fire for broadcasting a show that denied the alleged involvement of its owner Hari Tanoesoedibjo in a financial scandal.
SCTV, RCTI and some other private stations that had commited similar transgressions would be given a warning by the KPI, Ade said. Ade alleged that hard-won press freedoms were being used by powerful individuals to promote their own narrow interests.
SCTV spokesman Uki Pratama defended Titiek's appearance, saying it was meant to be a surprise and aimed to expose the World Cup to a wide range of viewers.
"A wide range of people from political leaders, public figures, government officials and celebrities anxiously waited for this event," he told the Post. "So, we surprised them by presenting those figures as the host, including Titiek Soeharto." Uki said that there would be more surprise guests in future broadcasts. "As for Titiek, she has to improve her skill as a presenter," he said.