Press Release: NGO Coalition Report MNC TV to the Indonesian Police for Broadcasting a Television Show Exploiting Protected Wildlife

The rampant television shows exploiting wildlife has urged some Non-governmental organizations working for wildlife protection. The NGOs have denounced Global TV, one of a national television station in Indonesia, for airing Petualangan Panji (Adventures of Panji) and Steve Ewon for exploiting wildlife. MNC TV, another national television station is now being criticized by the NGOs for airing a show containing animal abuse. In the soap opera entitled Aladin aired on 26 June 2012 from 18.30 to 19.30 pm local time showed a slow loris being tied, slapped, and pulled cruelly by the actors. While according to the law, slow loris is a protected species.

In order to prevent such television show exploiting wildlife, a coalition of wildlife protection NGO including: ProFauna Indonesia, Wildlife Advocacy Institute (LASA/ Lembaga Advokasi Satwa), the International Animal Rescue, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Jakarta Animal Aid Network, the Animal Friends Jogja, and Remotivi; reported the show to the Indonesian Police on 8 July 2012 for violating the Law Number 5 year 1990 concerning the Conservation of the Natural Resources and the Ecosystem. According to the law, it is prohibited to keep protected wildlife without permit. It is strongly alleged that the slow loris used in the show, aiming for children. was illegal. Worse, the scene was showing animal cruelty.

Beside MNC TV, the coalition also reported MD Entertainment as the show producer and the Censorship Institute/ LSF. The spoke person of the coalition who is also a wildlife lawyer, Irma Hermawati, stated, "It is time to stop the television shows exploiting wildlife. Not only they are not educational for children but also containing animal cruelty and violating the law. " Ms. Hermawati added, "The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI/ Komisi Penyiaran Indonesia) should have strictly enforced the the law by stopping such shows".

The television show using a protected species like the slow loris must be contra-productive towards the conservation efforts of the primate because such show could lead to trigger television viewers to keep slow loris as pet animal. Not to mention that the animal cruelty could pose as a bad example for children and teenagers. ProFauna Indonesia latest investigation on the illegal trade of slow loris in Palembang - South Sumatera shows that dozens of slow lorises are smuggled to Jakarta every month. The high trade is triggered by the demand from the black market for slow loris as "cute" pet animal. It is obvious that the trade and the keeping of slow loris violates the law and offenders are liable to a maximum of a five-year prison term and a 100-million IDR fine.

Related link on ProFauna's protest on wildlife exploitation in television: ProFauna and Veterinary Students Protest Wildlife Exploitation in Television

For further information, please contact:

• Swasti Prawidya Mukti

  (International Affairs Officer, ProFauna Indonesia)
  Email: international@profauna.net