Council, journalists question budget for media<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration's plan to allocate Rp 3.15 billion
\n(US$338,710) for journalists in its 2005 budget has caused
\njournalists and several councillors to raise their eyebrows.<\/p>\n
Rois Hadayana Syaugie of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)
\nfaction, which is the biggest party group within the council,
\nsaid on Tuesday that it would raise the issue during Wednesday's
\nsession to deliberate the city budget proposal.<\/p>\n
\"If the money is to be used to pay journalists covering City
\nHall, we will turn down the proposal as they are not employees of
\nthe administration,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
The money would be taken from the Rp 32.24 billion allocated
\nin the budget for publications and protocol, with the
\nadministration's 2005 budget totaling Rp 13.83 trillion.<\/p>\n
In the proposal, Rp 1.5 billion is allocated for
\nmedia-coverage costs, another Rp 1.5 billion to pay for
\ninterviews and \"meeting the press\" and Rp 150 million to
\nestablish a \"partnership forum\" with 70 journalists covering City
\nHall.<\/p>\n
The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) chairman Edi
\nSuprapto lamented the proposal, calling on the council not to
\nagree to the plan, which he said was an abuse of taxpayers' money
\nto soften media reports against the city administration.<\/p>\n
\"If the council approves the allocation, it means that it
\nagrees with the use of the budget for collusion,\" he told The
\nJakarta Post on Tuesday, threatening to bring the issue to the
\nCorruption Eradication Commission (KPK).<\/p>\n
In its statement, the AJI said such allocations for the media
\nwere not in accordance with Article 6d of the Press Law as the
\nnational press has to supervise, criticize, and make corrections
\non anything related to public interests.<\/p>\n
The organization said the plan is not in line with Article 5
\nof the Indonesian Journalists Code of Ethics, which states that
\njournalists are prohibited from receiving bribes or abusing the
\nprivileges of their profession.<\/p>\n
The issue has also disturbed journalists registered with the
\nCity Hall's press room. Some described feeling like they were
\n\"under attack\" by other journalists who had blown up the matter
\nunfairly.<\/p>\n
Yet, other journalists defended the issue as newsworthy as the
\nnumber of journalists mentioned in the proposal was wrong.<\/p>\n
\"Please, be fair in looking at this matter. There are only 50
\nof us who are assigned here and not 70 as stated in the budget
\nproposal,\" a journalist said.<\/p>\n
Another journalist said that those who had published the story
\nshould not be entitled to enjoy the facilities at the air-
\nconditioned press room, such as the free-of-charge phone line,
\ncable TV and Internet access.<\/p>\n
\"If the case were to be brought to the KPK, many journalists
\nwould be caught in the bribery dragnet,\" another said.<\/p>\n
I-box<\/p>\n
Items in the budget for the city's public relations and protocol
\nbureau<\/p>\n
Item Budget<\/p>\n
1. Publication of in-house Media Jaya Rp 2,926,780,000<\/p>\n
Magazine (11 editions)
\n2. Information services through Rp 736,590,000<\/p>\n
print media
\n3. Information services through Rp 1,000,000,000<\/p>\n
online media
\n4. Information services through Rp 1,800,000,000<\/p>\n
electronic media
\n5. Broadcasting cooperation Rp 400,000,000<\/p>\n
with radio stations
\n6. Advertorial, sponsored articles Rp 1,500,000,000<\/p>\n
and special columns
\n7. Broadcasting cooperation with Rp 2,460,969,000<\/p>\n
television stations<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/council-journalists-question-budget-for-media-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }