Government Denies Restricting Media Coverage of Protests

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid has stated that the government has never restricted the mass media from covering and reporting on demonstrations taking place in Indonesia.

According to her, the mass media are free to report on various developments in Indonesia in accordance with Law Number 40 of 1999 on the Press.

“From the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, there is no prohibition on the mass media carrying out any form of coverage, so long as it adheres to journalistic principles and stays within the corridor of the Press Law. So that claim is not true,” Meutya said at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs office in Central Jakarta on Monday.

She made the remarks in response to rumours circulating in society that the government was restricting the mass media from reporting on demonstrations, which in recent months have been vigorously staged by members of the public, from workers to students.

Particularly with the anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia approaching, she said, much disinformation is currently circulating in the digital sphere, causing fear and anxiety among the Indonesian public.

For that reason, the role of the mass media is in fact important in countering the negative effects of hoaxes through prompt and accurate reporting amid the rapid circulation of information.

“Indeed, Komdigi wants our friends in the media to go ahead and cover events and report the truth quickly, so that no room is given to incoming disinformation,” Meutya said.

This is also in line with a statement by the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) some time ago, when students were staging frequent demonstrations in June.

On Monday (15/6), the central Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) stated that the Government respects press freedom in reporting on national issues, including the student demonstrations that took place on 12 June 2026.

“The claim that no national television station reported on the student demonstrations is inaccurate. Our monitoring shows that at least nine television stations covered the event,” said Tulus Santoso, Central KPI Commissioner and Coordinator for Broadcast Content Supervision, in a statement received in Jakarta.

Tulus said allegations that the government had co-opted the mass media to stop them covering the demonstrations were unfounded.

He said the KPI, as regulator, and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs have no authority to dictate or direct the news content of the mass media.

“The media each have their own editorial boards and independent editorial policies,” Tulus said.