Anita Rachman & Ismira Lutfia – Despite a massive backlash, Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam on Wednesday stood by his call to boycott certain media organizations and added that he was ready to face whatever consequences came with it.
During a hearing with the House Commission to discuss the Presidential Unit for Development, Supervision and Oversight (UKP4), Dipo Alam said he would not back down from his controversial statements.
"Dipo Alam is Dipo Alam," he said in English. "I will never apologize." Dipo's apology had been demanded by two of the media companies he criticized – television news channel Metro TV and Media Indonesia, both owned by politician and media magnate Surya Paloh.
Metro TV chief editor Suryopratomo said the apology was necessary to make Dipo aware of his mistake. "Otherwise there will be more violations of the Press Law and the Freedom of Information Law and he should know that as a government official," he said.
The dispute began on Monday after Dipo said he had called on government institutions to implement an advertising boycott on media organizations that relentlessly portrayed Indonesia as a "messy and dark" country.
On Tuesday he accused three media organizations – Metro TV, TVOne and Media Indonesia newspaper – of spreading hatred toward the government through their news organizations. TVOne is also owned by a politician, Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie.
The media organizations have denied his accusations and government officials and lawmakers were quick to denounce his statements, calling it a violation of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of the press.
Dipo, however, maintained on Wednesday that these media groups had crossed the line, creating such a falsely negative image of the country that it was beginning to affect perceptions of Indonesia among foreign investors and diplomats.
"They have been asking me about the move to impeach the president," he said. "These negative images and messages that have been made by the media, badmouthing the president's administration, have successfully created the perception among people in the country and overseas that Indonesia is headed toward chaos and failure."
Dipo has also pointed out that he suspected there are other motives behind the negative news coverage, saying the way they lambasted the government "is not purely to spread news."
"I did not say that I would boycott media that is simply critical [of the government]," Dipo said. "I said I would boycott them if they kept on lambasting [the government] intentionally."
Meanwhile, Press Council deputy chairman Bambang Harymurti said the council has invited Dipo for a meeting today to hear his grievances directly. Even if Dipo could not attend the meeting, Bambang said the council expected him to send a representative instead.
"We want to clarify his statements that were quoted in the media and whether they were directed to the media in general," Bambang said, adding that the council also wants to ask Dipo why he did not lodge his complaints with the council or the broadcasting commission first.