ABRI to restructure its information center<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) information center will
\nsoon be restructured and integrated with a similar center from
\nthe Ministry of Defense and Security.<\/p>\n
Outgoing Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. A. Wahab Mokodongan
\ntold reporters that the move would increase the chief
\nspokesperson's responsibilities.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, the new post, namely the Armed Forces\/Ministry of
\nDefense and Security spokesperson, will be held by a two-star
\ngeneral (rather than a one-star general),\" he said at a ceremony
\nwhich saw Brig. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif take over the post.<\/p>\n
\"The Armed Forces commander's decree, stipulating the new
\nmilitary rank for the chief spokesperson, was signed by ABRI
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto on June 8,\" Wahab added.<\/p>\n
He could not say when the process would be completed.<\/p>\n
\"The validation process is now going on,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A unified body for both the Armed Forces' information
\ndepartment and the defense ministry's public relations department
\nhad been sought since Gen. Wiranto was appointed last month by
\nPresident B.J. Habibie to head up both the Armed Forces and the
\ndefense ministry.<\/p>\n
Censorship<\/p>\n
Newly appointed Armed Forces spokesman Syamsul claimed that he
\nwould not censor the media since he regarded the practice as
\nobsolete in the reform era.<\/p>\n
\"It's extremely outdated to apply a censorship approach
\nagainst the mass media.<\/p>\n
\"I think it is more important to strike a common perception
\nbetween both the mass media and the Armed Forces Headquarters,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He nevertheless called on the media to be veracious in its
\nreports and appropriate in its selection of news items.<\/p>\n
He also asked journalists to avoid using difficult and
\ncontradictory words in their articles, adding that stories should
\nbe presented in a proper setting so as not to confuse people.<\/p>\n
\"Journalists should consider whether their stories will
\npositively impact the reform movement or cause contradictions,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Syamsul, a 1973 graduate of the National Military Academy,
\nspent most of his military career in various territorial
\npositions and military operations.<\/p>\n
He headed the Surabaya Military Command in East Java in 1993
\nand was then appointed chief of staff of the East Java Brawijaya
\nRegional Military Command in August 1995 prior to his current
\nassignment.<\/p>\n
The outgoing spokesman, Wahab, is a 1971 graduate of the
\nNational Military Academy and will soon assume an academic post
\nat the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas), the military's
\nthink tank, as a lecturer on ideology and political affairs.
\n(imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abri-to-restructure-its-information-center-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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