REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Director of Advocacy and Law of the National Winning Body (BPN) of Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad asked the authority to investigate the release of the Indonesia Barokah tabloid. BPN assessed that contents of the tabloid were tendentious and cornered presidential candidates number 02.

"We have reported it to the authorities because the tabloid is tendentious and the publisher is not accountable. It has the potential to disrupt public order and divide the community," Dasco said at the Parliament Complex, in Jakarta, on Wednesday (Jan 23).

Dasco said that BPN received reports that the tabloid had massively released to people's residences. The distribution areas were in Central Java and West Java. BPN then took legal steps related to the release of the tabloid.

"We immediately reported it as it was circulated massively and then has the potential to disrupt public order and rises restlessness in those communities," said the Gerindra party politician.

The Indonesia Barokah tabloid was known to circulate in a number of mosques and Islamic boarding schools in Majalengka Regency, West Java. The tabloid was alleged to contain black campaign towards one of the presidential candidates.

The regional election supervisory board (Bawaslu) was investigating the case. The circulation of the tabloids among others was found at the At-Taqwa Mosque in the Vocational School of Bhakti Kencana Health in Jatiwangi.

Chairman of the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) of Jatiwangi Subdistrict in Majalengka, Sonny Pratama Wijaya revealed, the committee had confirmed directly to the school. Jatiwangi Panwaslu then immediately went to community leaders, religious leaders and other community elements.

Apparently, they also got the tabloids. So far, there were 104 copies of the tabloid found in Bandung regency and 12 copies in Jatiwangi District in Majalengka.

"The tabloid has been reported to the Election Supervisory Body of Majalengka Regency to be followed up," said Sonny.

Meanwhile, the police handed over this case investigations to the Press Council. The police would investigate this case if there was an element of criminal offense in the publication and dissemination of the tabloid.

"This is the task of the Press Council. So the press council must stand in front, which conducts an assessment of the tabloid," said spokesperson of the National Police, Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo at the National Police Headquarters, in South Jakarta, on Wednesday (Jan 23).

The Press Council will assess whether the tabloid committed journalistic violations or not. If a criminal violation was found, the Press Council could provide recommendations to the police to follow up on the findings.

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