Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – In an open display of the relationship between media companies and political parties, television czar Hary Tanoesoedibjo announced he would join the new Nasdem Party as his first political vehicle.
His membership improves the political leverage of the party, which is also affiliated with media mogul Surya Paloh, the owner of Media Group, which runs Metro TV and Media Indonesia daily.
Hary, the president and CEO of Media Nusantara Citra (MNC) Group, controls national television channels such as RCTI, Global TV and MNC TV, as well as print media outlets such as Seputar Indonesia daily and High End magazine.
"After six months of talks, we concluded that Pak Hary and the Nasdem Party shared a similar vision and political view for a better Indonesia. The chemistry has been there for months, even before the party's declaration in July," party chairman Patrice Rio Capella told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. Hary's position in the party remains undetermined.
As a cofounder of the Nasdem-affiliated National Democrat mass organization, Surya has been one of the party's active patrons.
Metro TV, the first news channel in the country, has started airing the party's advertisements. With Hary on board, Nasdem's promotional spots have also appeared on the MNC-linked stations.
Patrice admitted that Hary's financial resources and vast media network would benefit the party's bid in the upcoming 2014 elections. "But that is not the main thing... The most important thing is that he is a young and prominent figure who has similar political aspirations to ours," he said.
Patrice declined to say how much Hary had spent or had pledged to spend to help finance the party. "Our party's funds come from donations from our members and supporters, including Pak Hary," Patrice said.
Established in July and still in the verification process, Nasdem is not the only party with strong ties to television stations. Another leading news TV channel, TV One, is partly owned by the family of Golkar Party chairman Aburizal "Ical" Bakrie.
Major parties have downplayed the idea that Hary's membership would improve Nasdem's performance at the polls. "It's a small [issue]," Ical said.
Golkar executive Priyo Budi Santoso warned Hary that the country's political situation was "dynamic and difficult, full of waves, challenges and surprises". "One day you can jump into space like a rocket, but within seconds you can plummet back to the ground afterwards," he added.
Lawmaker Ramadhan Pohan, of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, also said Hary's presence in Nasdem would not affect his party's stance ahead of the 2014 elections.
"Welcome to the jungle," he said. "It is everybody's political right to join any political party he or she likes."
Ramadhan, himself a former chief editor of the Jurnal Nasional daily, warned Hary not to "overly politicize" the media, which could threaten press freedom.