Jakarta, IO – News about the induction of Umbaran Wibowo as the Kradenan police chief in Blora, Central Java has been making rounds on social media Monday (12/12). Netizens are bewildered because Umbaran is known as a journalist with 14-year career at TVRI Central Java.
The Press Council as the institution that oversees media personnel admitted that they would immediately process the revocation of Umbaran’s journalist licence he obtained after passing a competency test held by the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) in 2018, reported CNN Indonesia, Wednesday (14/12).
“The mechanism already exists, Press Council only needs to verify the information,” said Press Council member Arif Zulkifli.
Arif advised media companies to be more careful in recruiting journalists. “Media independence must be maintained by ensuring that their journalists are not tied to other institutions,” he said.
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Central Java Police spokesperson Commissioner Iqbal Alqudusy previously confirmed that Umbaran had worked at TVRI Central Java. However, he emphasized that Umbaran, a police first inspector, was a freelance worker or news contributor in Pati.
While working as a journalist, Iqbal said that Umbaran served as intelligence officer in Blora. However, his duty ended in January 2021. (un)