Indonesia restores reporter’s palace access after revocation sparks press freedom concerns
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Students being treated for food poisoning after eating government-sponsored school meals, at a makeshift clinic in Bandung, Indonesia, on Sept 25.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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JAKARTA – The office of Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on Sept 29 restored access for a CNN Indonesia journalist, having earlier revoked it after she had asked the leader about a troubled free meal programme, sparking concerns about press freedom.
CNN Indonesia editor-in-chief Titin Rosmasari had a meeting with the Indonesian palace and confirmed the journalist’s access had been restored, CNN Indonesia reported. The palace had apologised for the revocation and said it would not be repeated, it added.
Indonesia’s main press council had on Sept 28 said the palace should explain its reasoning and restore the reporter’s access, calling for the protection of press freedom.
Ms Titin told Reuters earlier on Sept 29 that the reporter’s credentials were revoked late on Sept 28. She also told magazine Tempo that the revocation was related to the reporter’s question about thousands of schoolchildren who fell sick after consuming food
The reporter asked Mr Prabowo on Sept 27 whether he had instructions for the National Nutrition Agency overseeing the programme, news footage shows. Mr Prabowo said he would summon the agency and said “this is a huge matter”, adding that there were bound to be shortcomings at the beginning of the programme and urging caution against politicisation.
Tempo reported that other journalists at the event were allowed to ask only about Mr Prabowo’s international trip last week, which included a stop at the United Nations headquarters.
Nearly 6,000 children have fallen sick after consuming food as part of Mr Prabowo’s multibillion-dollar free meal programme since its January roll-out, government data shows. More than 1,000 of these children were affected last week.
The deputy head of the agency in charge on Sept 26 apologised for the recent food poisoning cases, saying there was a lack of oversight and the agency took full responsibility.
Indonesia ranks 127th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, having fallen 16 places in one year. REUTERS
