INDONESIAUPDATES.COM, News En – The Association of Local Television Stations of Indonesia (ATVLI) has expressed its respect for the legal process involving the former News Director of JAKTV, Tian Bahtiar (TB), in connection with allegations of obstruction of justice in an investigation handled by the Attorney General’s Office (Kejaksaan Agung).
In a statement issued on Friday, ATVLI Chairman Bambang Santoso reaffirmed that the association upholds the rule of law as enshrined in the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. He emphasized that Indonesia is a law-based state and that fair and transparent law enforcement is a fundamental pillar of democracy.
“We believe that the enforcement of justice in a fair and transparent manner is crucial to upholding the democratic principles that we cherish,” Bambang said in the statement.
The ATVLI also expressed full support for the JAKTV staff and management, urging them to continue their journalistic activities with professionalism and to uphold journalistic ethics amidst the ongoing situation. This stance is in line with Article 4 of the 1999 Press Law (Law No. 40/1999), which guarantees the independence of the press as an essential aspect of people’s sovereignty.
Bambang further reiterated ATVLI’s commitment to responsible press freedom, as outlined in Article 1 of the Press Law, which defines the national press as a social institution and a medium for mass communication that engages in journalistic activities.
“We encourage all members of the association to continue working professionally and in compliance with the applicable laws and regulations,” he added.
In addition, ATVLI urged all parties to observe the principle of presumption of innocence until a final legal decision is made, in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) Article 8, paragraph (1).
Bambang also expressed a desire for all parties involved to cooperate in resolving the case wisely, while keeping the public’s and the national broadcasting industry’s interests in mind. He pointed out that broadcasting activities are mandated by Law No. 32/2002 on Broadcasting, which emphasizes that broadcasting must be based on the principles of democracy, togetherness, and the public interest.
“With this statement, ATVLI hopes that the entire process can proceed smoothly and professionally, while maintaining the public’s trust in local media in Indonesia,” Bambang concluded.
Background of the Case:
Previously, the Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) named three suspects in the obstruction case related to the handling of criminal investigations. The suspects include Marcella Santoso (MS), an advocate; Junaedi Saibih (JS), a lecturer and advocate; and Tian Bahtiar (TB), the News Director of JAKTV.
The obstruction involved efforts to hinder the handling of several corruption cases, including a corruption case related to tin commodity trade at PT Timah Tbk, a corruption case in sugar importation linked to Tom Lembong, and a corruption case concerning export facilities for crude palm oil (CPO).
Abdul Qohar, the Director of Investigation at the Attorney General’s Office’s Special Crime Division (Jampidsus), revealed that MS and JS had ordered TB to produce negative news stories that targeted investigators from the Jampidsus, in exchange for a payment of IDR 478.5 million.
