Najwa Shihab Responds to Police Report

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Following reports of a police report filed against Najwa Shihab by President Jokowi's volunteer group chairperson, the seasoned journalist has not fully understood the reason why the police report was filed. 

"I only heard reports that the Metro Jaya Police rejected the police report and advised the person filing the report to take the issue to the Press Council. However, if there needs to be any questioning I am certainly ready to provide them with my side of the story at an official institution that is authorized to do so," Najwa Shihab wrote to Tempo in a text message on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

As previously reported, the Chairperson of President Joko Widodo's volunteer group called Relawan Jokowi Bersatu, Silvia Dewi Soembarto, filed a report against Najwa Shihab following the 'empty chair' interview following Health Minister Terawan's absence in a television program hosted by Najwa, 'Mata Najwa'. 

Silvia believed that the interview is a form of cyberbullying which has been turned into a parody, which she argued must not be aimed at state-officials. "Especially state ministers, because [Terawan] is a representative of President Joko Widodo," said Silvia. 

In response to report, Najwa Shihab explained that the questions she had asked during the 'absentee' interview originated from the public's restlessness and that she was simply committing to the mass media's task in supervising, criticizing, correcting, and providing ideas for aspects with the public's interest in mind. 

WINTANG WARASTRI | TD