REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Press Council is processing reports from National Winning Agency (BPN) campaign team of Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno regarding circulation of Indonesia Barokah tabloids. Chairman of Press Council, Yosep Adi Prasetyo revealed that a team from the Press Council had found that the tabloid's had fake editorial address.
"It doesn't have editorial address and the phone number also didn't connected. We conclude that it has fake editorial address," Yosep said when contacted by reporter, on Friday (Jan 25).
Regarding the content of Indonesia Barokah, the Press Council found that it originated from mainstream mass media. Indonesia Barokah recycled the news.
"But there are indeed several titles that cornered the presidential and vice presidential candidates number 02. However, we haven't been able to clarify directly to the person in charge (of the tabloid)," he explained.
Even so, the Press Council is still searching the party responsible to be presented at the council. The Council acknowledged that the fake editorial address was an obstacle to find the person in charge of the Indonesian Barokah tabloid. Therefore, the Press Council requested assistance from a number of parties.
"We are also seeking information through constituent friends to see the possibility of the person behind this tabloid. Do they know anyone from the tabloid? We ask for their help to come to the Press Council for giving informations," he added.
The Council needed all data about the Indonesia Barokah tabloid. Press Council will decide whether this issue is their domain or the police.
"We are the first party to check this case whether it is the task of Council or police. The results might be delivered around next week," he said.
Member of the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) Fritz Edward Siregar said, even though there were no elements of campaign violations in the Indonesian Barokah tabloid, the board continued to supervise it. Supervision was carried out to anticipate the emergence of next edition of the tabloid, which was allegedly tendentious towards one of the presidential and vice-presidential pairs.
"Although there have been no campaign violations, we will supervise it because there could be a second edition and a third edition," Fritz said.
On Friday morning, BPN campaign team reported the December 1, 2018 edition of Indonesia Barokah which was allegedly spreading the news of hate speech. This news was considered detrimental because it caused hostility between Muslims and the number 02 presidential candidates.
Director of Advocacy and Law of BPN, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad requested that the release of the Indonesian Barokah tabloid to be investigated. "We have reported it to the authorities. It has the potential to disrupt public order and divide the community," Dasco said.
The Indonesia Barokah tabloid was known to circulate in a number of mosques and muslim boarding school in Majalengka Regency. The regional election supervisory board (Bawaslu) currently was investigating the case.
The circulation of the tabloids was found at the At-Taqwa Mosque in the Vocational School of Bhakti Kencana Health in Jatiwangi. In addition, the same tabloids were also found circulating in a number of mosques and pesantren in Bandung Regency.
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