Govt denies pulling plug on TV show

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus denied yesterday speculation that he ordered the private Indosiar TV station to abruptly halt a political talk show on freedom of expression on Monday night.

"No one from my ministry made any call to Indosiar," Yunus told reporters shortly before attending a Cabinet meeting at Bina Graha presidential office.

"Just ask the station. It was a technical problem."

Dialog Aktual went off the air after only 15 minutes of its scheduled one-hour broadcast as the hosts and guests attacked the government of President B.J. Habibie for tampering with democracy.

The prerecorded weekly program, jointly hosted by social commentator Wimar Witoelar and economist Sjahrir, had as its topic the government's newly issued regulation on freedom of expression.

Guests were constitutional expert Dimyati Hartono, Indria Samego of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences and economist Chatib Basri. Minister of Justice Muladi turned down Wimar's offer to take part in the show.

Indosiar public relations manager Andreas Ambessa said the program had to be stopped because there was a problem with the master tape of the recording.

"Since the economic crisis, we've been using the same tape over and over," he said Tuesday. He added the station would not have buckled under pressure from the government if there had been a call.

Wimar found it hard to accept Indosiar's explanation.

"As far as I know, the station would have checked the cassette -- its editorial content and technical aspects. It's the standard operational procedure," Wimar told The Jakarta Post Tuesday.

"Given the popularity of the program, it would be good if the program is aired again, this time live." (prb/aan)