TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Press Council has sharply criticized the Presidential Palace for revoking the press credentials of a CNN Indonesia reporter who questioned President Prabowo Subianto about the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.
Totok Suryanto, Deputy Chair of the Press Council, expressed deep concern over the incident, urging the government not to forbid or restrict journalists from asking about current public issues. He stressed that reporters have a duty to inquire about societal concerns, and public officials must be prepared to answer.
"Officials anywhere must be ready to answer public questions," he said when contacted on Sunday, September 28, 2025.
Defense of Press Freedom
Totok emphasized that information sought by journalists is vital for the public, serving to prevent citizens from being misled by irresponsible information.
He argued that President Prabowo should be aware of domestic information, even while returning from an overseas trip. Even if he hadn't fully delved into the issue, Prabowo should have offered a measured response.
"Prabowo should be able to answer, 'oh yes, we will discuss it later,' or 'it is being studied,' or something else," Totok suggested.
Totok added that if the Palace believed the President was tired, the Secretariat for Press, Media, and Information should not prohibit questions, but merely ask journalists to be brief. "Just remind them not to take too long because the President's time may be limited," he said.
The Deputy Chair stressed that the government should actively support press freedom, especially since Prabowo has vowed to uphold democracy. "So, there should be no revocation like that," he asserted.
Totok confirmed that the Indonesian Press Council is currently discussing the issue and will issue a formal statement shortly. He underscored the Council's primary task: to uphold press freedom and ensure that actions obstructing journalistic duties, which provide essential public information, are not allowed.
He further requested that the Presidential Palace respect the work of professional media, noting that journalists are obligated to verify and provide clear, tested information to the public.
Incident Summary
The press credentials of a CNN Indonesia reporter at the Presidential Palace were revoked after the journalist questioned President Prabowo Subianto about contamination issues within the MBG program. The question was posed on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Jakarta, immediately following the President’s return from an overseas trip.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the President's Secretariat for Press, Media, and Information had previously forbidden palace journalists from asking about topics other than Prabowo's recent visit. A CNN Indonesia reporter nonetheless asked if Prabowo had issued special directives to the National Nutrition Body regarding the MBG contamination.
Prabowo responded by confirming his intent to summon the Head of BGN, Dadan Hindayana. He confirmed: "I am monitoring the development. After this, I will call the Head of BGN and several officials."
The Presidential Secretariat for Press, Media, and Information subsequently summoned the CNN Indonesia reporter. The Press Bureau formally objected to the reporter's question, asserting that the inquiry was out of context.
The Press Bureau then proceeded to formally revoke the reporter’s palace accreditation. The palace coverage card is an exclusive credential issued only to selected journalists who satisfy specific requirements, and its absence prohibits entry to the presidential complex.
Editor-in-Chief of CNN Indonesia, Titin Rosmasari, has yet to provide a comment. Concurrently, the Deputy for Protocol, Press, and Media of the Presidential Secretariat, Yusuf Permana, and the Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi have not replied to Tempo's requests for information.
Meanwhile, the Chair of the Indonesian Television Journalist Association (IJTI) Center, Herik Kurniawan, confirmed that his organization has received reports concerning the issue. IJTI is currently establishing communication with all involved parties. He stated in a brief message on Sunday, September 28, 2025: "Yes (we received the report), we are currently communicating with all parties."
Editor's Choice: CNN Journalist's Palace Credentials Revoked After Questioning Prabowo on Free Meal Program Issues
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