RRI Stops Broadcasting Quick Vote Count Result

Jakarta (Antara) - Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) has stopped broadcasting the results of its quick vote counts of the presidential election held on July 9. The decision of the public broadcasting institute was sent through a written communication by its president director, Niken Widiastuti, to chief editors on July 10 and received by Antara on Friday. In the letter, the president director of RRI thanked the media that have covered and published the results of RRI's quick vote count. As the election is already over, LPP RRI has requested the media not to broadcast its quick vote count pending the official announcement of the vote count by the General Elections Commission (KPU) on July 22. Earlier, the Indonesia Broadcasting Commission (KPI) had asked broadcasting institutes to stop broadcasting their quick count results pending the official announcement by the KPU on July 22. "KPI has asked all broadcasting institutions to stop broadcasting their quick vote counts, real counts, victory claims, and unilateral congratulations to presidential candidates until July 22," KPI chairman Judhariksawan said. He said the decision was taken based on various considerations, especially public interest. Judhariksawan said continued broadcasting of vote counts as well as victory claims and congratulations and real counts ahead of the KPU's decision has the potential to cause public unrest. Following the presidential election on July 9, several survey institutes had declared the Jokowi-JK pair had won the election, but other institutes had claimed that the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa pair had won, causing both camps to claim victory in the election. (*) Reported by Budi Setiawanto