Harumbi Prastya Hidayahningrum, Jakarta – The Presidential Secretariat has assured that it will no longer revoke journalists" press credentials following an incident involving CNN Indonesia TV reporter Diana Valencia.
Diana's press pass was withdrawn over the weekend after she posed a question to President Prabowo Subianto regarding reports of food poisoning among recipients of the government's free nutritious meal program. The exchange took place at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta on Saturday, shortly after Prabowo returned from an overseas trip.
Although the president answered the question without incident, Diana later discovered her press ID had been revoked on the grounds that the question was deemed "non-relevant."
Deputy for Protocol, Press, and Media of the Presidential Secretariat, Yusuf Permana, said on Monday that the Head of the Presidential Press, Media, and Information Bureau, Erlin Suastini, had personally apologized to Diana and CNN Indonesia during a meeting at the Presidential Palace complex.
"We ensure that this will not happen again. The head of the press bureau deeply regrets the revocation of the journalist's ID," Yusuf said.
He added that Diana's press credential has since been reinstated, stressing that the Presidential Press Bureau upholds transparency and press freedom in line with Law No. 40/1999 on the Press.
Yusuf also underscored that President Prabowo fully respects press freedom and wants the Palace to continue collaborating with journalists in covering the government's priority programs.
"The president strongly values openness and freedom of the press," he said.
For her part, Diana expressed gratitude for the reinstatement of her press pass and welcomed the Palace's commitment to preventing similar incidents in the future.
"This ID provides access to cover the Palace. Its revocation should be the last, though warnings related to position or doorstop questions remain possible," she said.