Indonesia’s presidential office on Monday reinstated access for a CNN Indonesia journalist after revoking it over the weekend, a move that triggered widespread concern over press freedom.
The journalist’s credentials were withdrawn on Saturday night after she asked President Prabowo Subianto about food poisoning cases linked to his flagship free meal programme for schoolchildren.
Nearly 6,000 children have fallen ill since the programme’s launch in January, with more than 1,000 affected last week, according to government data.
CNN Indonesia’s editor-in-chief, Titin Rosmasari, confirmed the restoration of access following a meeting with palace officials, who apologised for the revocation and pledged it would not be repeated.
Indonesia’s press council had earlier urged the government to explain its decision and reaffirm its commitment to media freedom.
At the event on Saturday, the reporter asked Prabowo if he had instructions for the National Nutrition Agency overseeing the programme.
The president acknowledged the issue as “a huge matter,” said he would summon the agency, and cautioned against politicising the failures, which officials admitted stemmed from weak oversight.
The incident highlighted growing concerns about media restrictions in Southeast Asia’s largest democracy.
Indonesia ranks 127th out of 180 in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, slipping 16 places from last year.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
