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March 21, 2025 | 10:03 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Presidential Office, Hasan Nasbi, has stated that the recent delivery of a pig's head to the Tempo Office does not constitute a threat.
Hasan's assessment is based on the responses of Francisca Christy Rosana (Cica), Tempo's political desk journalist and host of Tempo's podcast "Bocor Alus Politik", on her social media. He noted that Cica responded to the incident with humor.
"We do not want [the delivery of a pig's head to Tempo] to be associated with that (a threat). They treated it as a joke, suggesting that if meat was sent, it could potentially be cooked and eaten. So, in my view, it is not a threat,’ he said at the Presidential Palace Complex, Central Jakarta, on Friday, March 21, 2025.
According to Hasan, the issue is a matter between Tempo and unspecified parties, emphasizing the government's desire to remain uninvolved. "We don't know about this. This is their issue with unknown individuals. I don't know who the sender is. I cannot provide any commentary," he said.
He also questioned the veracity of the claim, speculating whether the pig's head was a genuine delivery or a jest, given Tempo's editorial team's humorous response. "Is it truly as described? Or are these just jokes? Because they responded with jokes," Nasbi said.
Nasbi urged against exaggerating the incident, reiterating the Prabowo Subianto government's commitment to press freedom. "The government is not involved in news creation at all. The government only offers corrections when media misunderstands. We correct it. If there are incorrect statements, we correct them," he added.
The Safe Journalism Consortium, comprising the Tifa Foundation, the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), and the Association of Media Development of the Archipelago (PPMN), had previously called on the government to ensure robust protection for press freedom. This demand followed the delivery of a package containing a pig's head to Tempo on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Oslan Purba, Executive Director of the Tifa Foundation, described the delivery of the pig's head as an act of terror against press freedom, indicative of authoritarian tendencies, and intolerance of criticism. "The government must guarantee press freedom and the safety of journalists in Indonesia," he stated in a written statement on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Prior to this, another host of Tempo's popular podcast, Hussein Abri Dongoran, reported two instances of vehicle vandalism by unknown individuals in August and September 2024. These incidents are suspected to be related to Hussein's journalistic activities.
According to the 2024 Index of Journalist Safety, compiled by the Tifa Foundation in collaboration with PPMN and HRWG through Populix, threats and violence against journalists persist during the government transition period. A survey of 760 Indonesian journalists revealed that 24 percent experienced terror and intimidation, 23 percent faced direct threats, 26 percent encountered reporting bans, and 44 percent experienced coverage bans.
Fransisca Ria Susanti, Executive Director of PPMN, warned that failure to thoroughly investigate this act of terror could lead to an escalation of violence against journalists. "We do not want journalists, or the public, to live in fear simply for being critical of the government or holding differing views," she said.
Dani Aswara contributed to this article
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