Dirlantas Polda Central Sulawesi Apologizes For Harassing TV Journalists With HP Cameras

Dirlantas Polda Central Sulawesi Kombes Pol Dodi Darjanto shook hands with SCTV journalist Syamsuddin Tobone at the Central Sulawesi Regional Police, Thursday (18/7/2024). (ANTARA/HO-IJTI Central Sulawesi)

JAKARTA - Director of Traffic (Dirlantas) of the Central Sulawesi Police, Kombes Pol. Dodi Darjanto, apologized to SCTV journalist Syamsuddin Tobone, after verbal violence that occurred in Palu City, Thursday, July 17.

"I am also concerned and I am also very guilty and apologize," he said, a number of Central Sulawesi journalists and representatives of three press organizations, IJTI Central Sulawesi, AJI Palu and PFI Palu at the Central Sulawesi Police Headquarters, Thursday, July 18, were confiscated by Antara.

In the statement mediated by the Head of Public Relations of the Central Sulawesi Regional Police, Kombes Pol Joko Wienartono, he explained that what he was doing was a mistake that was made without any element of intent.

"What I made a mistake, there was no intention of anything. The point was that I was just joking but it happened like this. There was no intention of anything," he said.

With this confession, Central Sulawesi journalist accepted an apology submitted by Dodi Darjanto, in order to maintain a working relationship between journalists and the Central Sulawesi Regional Police.

However, IJTI Central Sulawesi together with other press organizations as fellow professional organizations still demands firm action from the leadership of the National Police on the attitude of the Directorate of Traffic and Traffic of the Central Sulawesi Police which is believed to be verbal violence that must be taken seriously.

Therefore, IJTI Central Sulawesi and other press organizations have asked for the attention and firm action of the Central Sulawesi Regional Police leadership, as a form of maintaining a partnership relationship between the Central Sulawesi Regional Police and press personnel in Central Sulawesi.

The incident began when Syamsuddin was about to conduct an interview with Kombes Pol Dodi Darjanto at the 0 Kilometer Monument, Palu.

Referring to Syamsuddin's submission, who is the Head of the SCTV Palu Bureau, the chronology of the incident, began with a reporting plan related to the results of the 2024 Tinombala Patuh operation on the first day.

"I have made an interview since yesterday through his aide. Finally, this morning Mr. Dir was willing to start at 08.30 WITA in Tugu 0. After the apple, I met him to start the interview. I wore a SCTV uniform, neat. After greetings and acquaintances, I wanted to start recording. He immediately said, why did you record the interview using a cellphone? I don't want to. Cook interviews using cellphones, Chinese brand cellphones again. Ask your director to buy sophisticated cellphones," he said.

Syamsuddin explained to Kombes Pol Dodi Darjanto that current technology allows high-quality shooting using cellphones, but the explanation is not well received.

"Until his subordinates, members of the Traffic Police, came and whispered to me, said so, there was no need to deny it," he added.

The incident certainly caused a reaction from the journalist community in Palu, which considered Kombes Pol Dodi Darjanto's actions to be unprofessional, demeaning, and even insulting the work of journalists who often worked with various standard tools, including cell phones, in situations that did not always allow the use of complete professional equipment.

IJTI Central Sulawesi hopes that this will be a common concern in order to maintain and maintain press freedom in the country, especially in Central Sulawesi.