Press comes under fire at House session<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian press was targeted with criticism
\nyesterday for reporting which had allegedly stirred up trouble.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto, in his state budget speech before the
\nHouse of Representatives, warned the press and community leaders
\nto avoid blowing up issues of economic disparity and poverty
\nbecause this could lead to rioting which could destroy the social
\nfoundation and economic facilities.<\/p>\n
He said coverage that mixed the views of public leaders, both
\nformal and informal, or exposed differences of opinion, would
\nonly confuse people and diminish their self-confidence.<\/p>\n
In such a situation, he reminded, \"groups in society will
\neasily become emotional and commit acts that are damaging to the
\nnation.\"<\/p>\n
If the press continued to blow up issues of economic disparity
\nand poverty without offering realistic concepts for solving them,
\nit would provoke the sensitivity of the country's diverse
\ncommunity, he said.<\/p>\n
Immediately afterward, comments supporting Soeharto's remarks
\nabout the press poured in. Among those who commented was former
\nvice president Sudharmono who said Soeharto's statement was a
\nwarning to the press.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono agreed, and asked the press
\nnot to \"dramatize\" or take a one-sided view of matters.<\/p>\n
\"The press is sometimes unfair,\" he said, adding that
\njournalists sometimes presented stories in certain ways to
\nachieve certain interests.<\/p>\n
\"If this continues, the press could create trouble,\" he said.
\n\"Of course the government has shortcomings but if everyday you
\nfocus only on the shortcomings, the nation will lose its
\nconfidence.\"<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Golkar faction Moestahid Astari said President
\nSoeharto did not mean to gag freedom of speech.<\/p>\n
\"It's not an attempt to prevent people from speaking out.
\nThere's no such a limitation. Speaking out is a right. The
\nquestion is how people talk...there should be a mechanism and
\nrules of the game,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He dismissed suggestions that Soeharto's statement reflected
\nthe latter's reluctance to accept criticism.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Harto is open to criticism, opinion and suggestions, as
\nlong as it is proportionately given and not one-sided,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Don't just scrutinize the shortcomings, pay attention to the
\nprogress as well. Don't say that 30 years of development brings
\nno progress at all,\" he said. \"That's not fair.\"<\/p>\n
Minister of Information Harmoko, who is also Golkar's
\nchairman, chipped in with his own criticism of the press, calling
\non it to be introspective and more careful.<\/p>\n
\"There indeed have been press reports that stir up (trouble by
\npitting the opinions of) formal and nonformal leaders against one
\nanother,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The press should always remember its code of ethics,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Legislator Theo Sambuaga, also of Golkar, warned the press not
\nto blow up \"negative issues\" that could incite public anxiety.<\/p>\n
Legislator Aisyah Amini of the Moslem-based United Development
\nParty faction agreed that sometimes the press ran \"raw stories,\"
\nmeaning unconfirmed and unbalanced reports.<\/p>\n
\"Before running a story, the press should dig deeper to
\ndiscover the root of the matter so the story won't be shallow,\"
\nshe said. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/press-comes-under-fire-at-house-session-1447893297",
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