Jakarta – Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has protested the decision of the Central Jakarta District Court for prohibiting TV stations to broadcast the high-profile trial on alleged corruption in the procurement of electronic identity cards (e-KTP).
Although AJI admitted that the judge had the authority to decide whether a trial would be aired live on television or not, banning TV stations from covering the court case was a questionable choice.
"It is understandable that the public wants to know what is happening in court through live broadcasts on television," AJI chairman Suwarjono said in a statement on Thursday.
Suwarjono said that e-KTP trials would attract public attention since it was about the misuse of national money, which impacts everyone.
The project value was 5.9 trillion (US$442.31 million), and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has indicated Rp 2.3 trillion in state losses. "There is no urgency in banning the live broadcast," Suwarjono said.
AJI referenced article 3 of the Press Law, which stated that the national press functions as an information source on education, entertainment and social events.
Live broadcasting of the trials should be part of a media social responsibility for the court to be fair and objective in handling a large scale corruption case. (hol/jun)