This Observer Said That The Reporter Puan Maharani Went To The MKD With Discredited Goals: Too Kental Gimmick

Photo: BPMI Setpres/Laily Rachev

JAKARTA - The House of Representatives' Honorary Court (MKD) has stopped reporting the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, regarding the birthday surprise received at the Plenary Meeting. Political communication observers consider the reporting to be too far-fetched.

"Reports like that are too far-fetched, too thick a gimmick, while the substance is almost non-existent. In my opinion, the report aims to discredit someone, rather than trace alleged ethical violations," said Political Communications observer from the University of Indonesia (UI), Ari Junaedi, Tuesday, September 13.

Anniversary surprises are often received by a leader of the state ministry/institution when working or chairing a meeting. The surprise was seen as a normal expression of respect for a leader who interacts and works together.

"But it seems that this birthday surprise DPR is being questioned. While in other institutions there is no problem, because maybe other institutions are not as sexy as the DPR," he quipped.

Ari further explained, if the reporter had paid more attention to the substance before reporting, of course he would not have reported the birthday surprise on September 6, 2022.

"If, say, it is suspected that there was an ethical violation in the incident, how come it was reported by Puan? She was the one who received the surprise, not the one who planned it. Is it possible that if what was reported was not Puan, the reporter was worried that the report would not be sexy, not a big issue in the media," said Ari.

Ari reminded that national political tension will be higher ahead of the 2024 political contestation, so political attacks have begun to be intensified frequently.

One of these attacks could be in the form of reports that are not substantive, but mention the name of a political figure, so that it is considered that it can influence public perceptions of the figure.

"So this report is not intended to open the problem clearly, but reports after reports, namely as long as the media is published, the reporter is satisfied. Because with media reports, the reporter already feels successful in discrediting the person he reported," he said.

Luckily, the public is smarter in seeing which reports are substantive, or in the case of the DPR RI MKD, aiming to reveal alleged violations of the code of ethics, or which only aim to bring down someone.

The public is getting smarter, but it must continue to be educated so that reports like this do not damage a person's good name. That's why it is the right decision of the DPR MKD which not only stops reports, but also rehabilitates the name of Puan Maharani," he said.

As reported, the DPR RI MKD stopped the report against the Speaker of the DPR RI, Puan Maharani, regarding the surprise birthday (ultah) during the plenary meeting. The DPR MKD assessed that Puan did not celebrate her birthday during the plenary meeting of the DPR RI.

"Reports against Puan Maharani A-188 of the PDI-P faction with register number 89/PP MKD/9/2022 cannot be followed up and the House of Representatives Honorary Court of the Republic of Indonesia provides rehabilitation for the defendants," said Deputy Chairman of the DPR MKD Nazaruddin Dek Gam.

The DPR MKD's decision regarding the report to Puan Maharani is effective from the date of stipulation. This decision was made by the Chairman of the MKD Aboe Bakar Al Habsyi. The DPR MKD assessed that Puan Maharani did not celebrate her birthday during the plenary meeting. However, Puan received a happy birthday from fellow members of the DPR.

"That the honorable defendant Doctor Puan Maharani A-188 of the PDI-P faction did not celebrate the birthday party in the context of the plenary session on September 6, 2022. However, the defendant only received a happy birthday from fellow members of the DPR," said Dek Gam.

"Because on the same day can coincide with the anniversary," he added.