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Journalist Najwa denies rumors of joining Prabowo administration
The celebrated journalist has dismissed a rumor making the rounds on social media that she will be joining the communications ministry, saying that she is committed to journalism and shrugging off allegations of her muted criticism of the current administration.
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Senior journalist Najwa Shihab speaks during an event in Jakarta in 2018. (The Jakarta Post/Donny Fernando)
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enior journalist Najwa Shihab has refuted a growing rumor about her signing on to a job at the Communications and Digital Ministry as a reason for her allegedly waning criticism of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.
Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Thursday, she dismissed the rumor entirely, saying it was “not true that I am currently [planning] to join the government”.
“I remain a journalist and will focus on strengthening Narasi,” she added, referring to the media company she founded in 2017 that has developed into an online outlet featuring investigative journalism.
Social media was rife this week with rumors of the award-winning journalist joining the government, which was exacerbated by a picture Najwa posted recently on Instagram that shows her with current and former television news anchors, including Meutya Hafid, the incumbent communications and digital minister.
Najwa also denied suggestions that she had been silent on the contentious revision to the Indonesian Military (TNI) Law, which many social media users pointed to as an indication that she had toned down her previously biting criticism of the government.
“I gave my criticism [of the new TNI Law] on a number of programs, one of which was among the clips I posted on social media. And Narasi, as a media outlet, also covered the issue quite comprehensively,” she said.
Najwa gained prominence in 2009 for hosting the popular weekly talk show Mata Najwa (In Najwa’s eyes), with its high-profile lineup of national and political guests. The program first aired on Metro TV and Trans7 TV, before it later moved to its own YouTube channel, Narasi TV.
