Vice President Kamala Harris met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, and there was an incident involving a reporter who was targeted by security — apparently, foreign countries are not accustomed to members of the media acting like jackals in screaming out questions to government officials.
As the press pool was being ushered out of Wednesday’s meeting, Indonesian security officials converged on Voice of America (VOA) White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara after she shouted out questions directed at Harris and Widodo — the reporter asked the Indonesian president whether he was disappointed that President Joe Biden was not present at the summit.
Officials from the vice president’s office reportedly tried to settle the drama by “reasoning” with security.
“It was tense, but I didn’t feel anxious or panicked or anything like that, because I knew that I was just doing my job,” Widakuswara told VOA. ”And I also knew that the VP’s office would stand by me. I just stood my ground.”
Widakuswara was reportedly surrounded by Indonesian security officials outside and told to leave because she shouted out the questions. The reporter said she was also banned from entering any other events.
“They blocked me, placed their hands on me, one female officer leaned her body against me,” she detailed in a series of posts on X.
Sung Y. Kim, the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines, eventually got involved and Widakuswara said an Indonesian officer would apologize after they exited the summit hall, and that they shook hands after she “told him about the American press tradition.”
The reporter also expressed “gratitude” to the vice president’s team — the X thread can be seen here:
As I walked out, an Indonesian official pointed to me and angrily told another officer, in Indonesian, “Get her name.” I turned to the 2nd officer and gave my name and my outlet @voanews.
2/— Patsy Widakuswara (@pwidakuswara) September 6, 2023
Officials from @VP office tried to talk to the Indonesian officers as we moved to the summit hall. It was tense. In front of the hall, more security blocked me. One of them said in Indonesian, “Until Armageddon comes, I will not allow her in.”
4/— Patsy Widakuswara (@pwidakuswara) September 6, 2023
As @USAmbIndo Kim approached, they finally allowed me in, after insisting that I promise to not shout/ ask questions anymore. Obviously this is against my journalistic integrity so I said I cannot promise anything. Things got even more tense.
6/— Patsy Widakuswara (@pwidakuswara) September 6, 2023
When we left the summit hall, an Indonesian officer who said he was from @Kemlu_RI Diplomatic Security came and apologized. I told him about the American press tradition, and we shook hands.
8/— Patsy Widakuswara (@pwidakuswara) September 6, 2023
I was reinstated back to the White House beat after Biden’s inauguration and a change in @USAGM leadership.
While these are clearly 2 different incidents, both remind me of how much I love doing my job, and to be a member of @whca.
10/— Patsy Widakuswara (@pwidakuswara) September 6, 2023
I am again expressing gratitude to @VP team, @USAmbIndonesia Kim and @usembassyjkt staff who fought for me.
While I am, and will always be a proud Indonesian as much as I am a proud American, I know which tradition of freedom of the press I prefer.
11/11— Patsy Widakuswara (@pwidakuswara) September 6, 2023
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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