Jakarta – The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has called on broadcasting companies to not only focus on quick-count results but also give attention to the General Elections Commission's (KPU)'s official real count.
Speaking in a meeting with chief editors of media outlets in Jakarta on Thursday, KPI chairman Yuliandre Darwis suggested that the companies educate the public on possible differences between the results of pollsters' quick-count surveys and the KPU's time-consuming real count.
"Broadcasting companies' newsrooms should also pick the right sources that do not send provocative messages," he said, adding that editorial staff should consider the possible impacts of their reporting.
Yuliandre said newsrooms should report on the KPU's real count to provide the public with valid information from authorized parties since the public trusted broadcast media more than other media platforms.
"The broadcasting companies should run their social control function," he said, adding that the broadcasting companies should also watch and safeguard the KPU's real count to prevent any violations.
Based on quick-count results by many pollsters, incumbent Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and his running mate Ma'ruf Amin secured between 54 and 55 percent of the vote, while Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno trail behind at between 44 and 45 percent.
Prabowo rejected the quick-count results, accusing certain pollsters of being partisan and trying to sway public opinion.
He claimed victory over the Jokowi-Ma'ruf ticket, citing an internal "real count" of more than 320,000 polling stations that showed that he had won the race with 62 percent of the vote. (ars/jun)