Minister Syamsul pledges 'TVRI's neutrality in general election

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

State television station TVRI will continue to maintain its neutrality when covering the elections, the state minister of communications and information assured the public on Wednesday.

Syamsul Mu'arif said TVRI management had created a standardized coverage manual and a code of ethics for journalists to help them stay independent during both the legislative and presidential elections.

Despite the government ownership, TVRI had a special role to encourage democracy in a pluralistic society, he said at a House commission hearing on information here on Wednesday.

He said TVRI would give the same opportunities to all parties contending the legislative elections and to all presidential candidates.

National Mandate Party (PAN) legislator Djoko Susilo recently alleged a recent major reshuffle in TVRI management was related to a systematic use of the TV station's power to help President Megawati Soekarnoputri win the presidential election in July.

Minister of State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi, who is also a PDI-P party executive, appointed on Tuesday a veteran TVRI reporter, Nasirwan Uyun, as the TV station's new executive director, news anchor Nunuk Parwati as its news director and Alex Kumara as its program director.

Syamsul said besides the code of ethics, TVRI, other television stations and printed media were required to comply with the 2003 Election Law.

Article 73 of the law regulates that electronic and printed media treat all election candidates equally.

Syamsul, a Golkar Party member, said that he was not involved in the reshuffle. "That is the authority of the Office of the State Minister of State Enterprises," he said.

The minister said the TV station had created an editorial policy that was fully accepted by all the stations' regional heads and news directors.