TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Chief Executive Officer of Tempo Media Group, Arif Zulkifli alias Azul, believes that the pressure on the mass media today is not much different from the New Order era. The difference lies only in the method, but the purpose is the same: to limit press freedom.
He stated that if during the New Order era the pressure was openly carried out through media oppression or revocation of publishing permits, now it is more covert, such as cyberattacks and doxing against journalists and the media.
"Like doxing against journalists and the media. Until today, we are still fighting against it," said Azul in the discussion "Ngopi Media Talks: Suppression, Then and Now" at the TV Tempo Studio in South Jakarta, on Monday, June 22, 2026.
The former Chief Editor of Tempo during the 2013-2019 period also highlighted the pressure that comes from media owners. According to him, such pressure has the potential to disrupt editorial independence.
"Independence can be influenced by various threats, for example, disruptions from other businesses," he said.
The current Chief Editor of Tempo, Setri Yasra, added that modern media oppression often takes the form of cyberattacks whose perpetrators are difficult to trace.
She cited Tempo's experience of reporting attacks on their website to the police several times. However, the perpetrators have not yet been identified.
"Cyberattacks on Tempo occur almost every day. Even three hours ago, our site was hit by a DDoS attack," said Setri.
She noted that the intensity of the attacks has increased in the last five years. She believes there is a systematic effort to create fear in the editorial room.
In addition to cyberattacks, pressure also comes through legal channels. Setri mentioned that Tempo had been sued in court by parties who did not accept the Press Council's decision regarding news disputes. However, the lawsuit was eventually rejected by the court.
Nevertheless, Setri emphasized that Tempo's editorial team will not be intimidated. She made sure that journalistic work remained fact-based and verified, regardless of the parties involved.
"Regardless of who, whether it's the president, politicians, or others, we will report based on facts," she said.
She also emphasized that Tempo's reporting is not biased towards any particular interest.
"We work professionally and without any bias," said Setri.
The discussion "Media Talks: Suppression, Then and Now" was held to commemorate the resistance against the suppression of Tempo Magazine, Editor, and Detik by the government on June 21, 1994.
In addition to Azul and Setri, the event also featured former Chief Editor of Tempo Bambang Harymurti, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia Usman Hamid, Executive Director of SAFEnet Nenden Sekar Arum, and Co-founder of the Malaka Project, Cania Citta.
Read: Tempo and Gecko Project Win 2026 SOPA Award
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