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abinet secretary Dipo Alam has defied condemnation and criticism from journalists and lawmakers and refused to apologize to a number of media outlets that he previously accused of spreading hatred against the government.

“I am not sorry or discouraged, and I won’t apologize for correcting the media. I don’t want to apologize,” Dipo told lawmakers during a hearing with the House of Representatives’ home affairs commission on Wednesday.

Dipo previously threatened to cut access to information and government-sponsored advertisements from certain media companies if they continued to criticize the government disproportionally.

He named the media he deemed biased: TVOne, MetroTV, and Media Indonesia daily newspaper. The last two are owned by tycoon Surya Paloh while the former is owned by the politically wired Bakrie family.

The outlets, he said, were “one-sided” and “politically influenced” in their reporting.

On Wednesday, a lawyer for MetroTV and Media Indonesia, O.C. Kaligis, said Dipo must apologize for his statement or face legal charges.

Kaligis said Dipo could be charged with articles in the 1999 Press Law and the 2008 Freedom of Information Law. “The offences carry a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment and Rp 500 million in fines,” he added.

He gave Dipo 72 hours to retract his statement and apologize to the public.

Dipo said he was ready to face legal charges. “Every statement and action carries its own risks. I am ready if [they] sue me,” he added, refusing to retract his statement.

He held his ground, saying that he would not want Indonesian media to spread lies. The media, he said, needed to be controlled especially when they constantly made bigoted reports.

“The press criticized us, now we criticize them,” he said.

He refused to be judged as someone threatening democracy with his boycott on those media outlets. He said he was open to criticism, but highlighted that criticism was not the same as slander.

“I don’t take insults,” he affirmed.

Dipo’s persistence raised concerns among lawmakers. Tjahjo Kumolo from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction said House leaders needed to schedule a consultation meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss the matter.

“If this continues, the [government] may also boycott the House,” Tjahjo said.

House speaker Marzuki Alie said he would address the recommendation in a meeting with his deputies.

The controversy has also irked the Press Council.

Council member Agus Sudibyo said he would meet with Dipo to ask for a clarification of his statement.

“We will… ask him if this statement was a personal opinion or if it was the government’s view,” he added.