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TVRI refuses to broadcast G30SPKI film this Sept. 30
TVRI's president director Iman Brotoseno reasoned that the channel must unify the nation, instead of causing chaos and division among Indonesians.
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Must-see: A still from "Treachery of the G30SPKI", which is available to watch on YouTube (Screengrab courtesy of YouTube) (YouTube/Courtesy of Hendra Ahya on YouTube)
Public television broadcaster TVRI said it would not broadcast Treachery of the G30SPKI, a film that was mandatory screening every Sept. 30 during the New Order era.
TVRI's president director Iman Brotoseno reasoned that the channel must unify the nation, instead of causing chaos and division among Indonesians.
"However, we also provide clear and healthy information as part of our public function, so we will always present lessons on the past in an interactive and contemporary way through programs on TVRI," Iman said in a written statement on Thursday, as quoted by antaranews.com.
The history education programs broadcast on TVRI Iman mentioned included the Fristian Forum on Sept. 29, which talked about “‘65 reconciliation, making peace with history”, the program Remembering the Traces of History on Sept. 30 and the screening of the Pancasila Sanctity Day Commemoration Ceremony on Oct. 1.
The G30SPKI film itself has not been broadcast on TVRI since 1998, during the government of former president B. J. Habibie.
Former information minister at the time, Indonesian Military’s retired Lt. Gen. Muhammad Yunus Yosfiah, also wrote in a statement on Sept. 24, 1998 that films like Treachery of the G30SPKI, Janur Kuning and Serang Fajar, which painted a destructive cult image of many figures, were no longer in line with the dynamics of the Reform Era.
But unlike TVRI, private owned TV stations such as Trans TV, MNC and TVOne are still broadcasting the G30SPKI film on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday consecutively.
TVRI’s decision was met with praise and criticism from the public, the latter also coming from former youth and sports minister Roy Suryo and Gerindra Party politician Fadli Zon.
“Bravo @tvOneNews. Never forget that it was the PKI who repeatedly attempted the coup. It was also the PKI who wanted to change Pancasila and turn Indonesia into a communist state,” Fadli tweeted on Sept. 23.
