People in Border Areas Now Enjoy TVRI Broadcasts

People in the border regions in East Kalimantan which have merely been watching Malaysian television, can now watch Indonesian television, especially TVRI, following the introduction of satellite.

“Now 14 regencies and towns are receiving information broadcasts, especially people in the RI-Malaysia border regions,” head of East Kalimantan TVRI station Kemas Tolib said here Monday.

Tragically, they knew more about Malaysian Prime Minister Achmad Badawi than their own President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Kemas Tolib said the East Kalimantan provincial administration has contributed Rp 2 billion for TVRI’s coverage of the province by providing funding in last year’s Revised Regional Budget for leasing satellite and the relevant ground segments (linkups).

He said that actually TVRI’s satelite broadcast trials had been started two weeks ago with good results. East Kalimantan’s TVRI not only covered the province, but olso nationwide as well as several other countries like Papua New Guinea, Laos, Taiwan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Macau and Australia.

“The lease of the Telkom 1 satellite lasts only eight months and will expire in December 2010, but East Kalimantan provincial administration had been asked to continue assisting in leasing the satellite, so people in East Kalimantan could receive information on matters relating to the national development, the province’s potentials and culture,” he said.

Kemas Tolib also said that he will launch East Kalimantan TVRI broadcasts on Monday (May 3) at 2 pm local time, at he East Kalimantan Governor’s office by holding a video conference between Governor Awang Faroek Ishak and four regional heads, namely the Tarakian mayor, Malainau, Nunukan and East Kutai regents.

Source: Antara