'Press must help maintain security before elections'<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami
\nNata called on reporters yesterday to help create a favorable
\natmosphere in Jakarta for next year's general election.<\/p>\n
\"You all may know that there are always certain people of
\ngroups that plan to do something to disturb the public prior to
\nelection day for their own personal or group's benefits,\" the
\ntwo-star general told a press gathering here.<\/p>\n
These irresponsible parties know how to exploit the period
\nbefore the 1997 general election for their mission, he said.<\/p>\n
Without the help of responsible press corps, the trouble-
\nmakers' activities could go on unheeded, Hamami said.<\/p>\n
\"Should it not happen this way (if the press is
\nirresponsible), only the innocent will lose their property and
\ntheir lives,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"It's always the people who know nothing about the activities
\nthat suffer more than the parties involved,\" Hamami said.<\/p>\n
Therefore, he said, media personnel must carefully select the
\ncontent of their reports.<\/p>\n
\"Your reports could prevent turbulence or spark and widen
\nserious chaos. It totally depends on what you want,\" he told the
\ngathering of around 50 crime reporters.<\/p>\n
\"It's not wrong for us to urge the press to think wisely for
\nthe sake of our country and its people before printing reports,
\nespecially those which could create nationwide disturbances,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A number of criminal cases relating to religious issues have
\nhappened recently in the capital and in a few other cities around
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
Last month, for instance, an angry mob threw stones at the
\nKronjo Police sub-precinct in Tangerang after its chief ordered
\nhis personnel to question a man caught praying the Holy Koran
\nbefore the morning prayer.<\/p>\n
In that case, Hamami immediately replaced the chief of the
\nKronjo Police.<\/p>\n
Another serious incident happened in Bekasi recently but,
\naccording to current regulations, the media were not allowed to
\nreport it because they were told it could have sparked widening
\ndisturbances which could have endangered the life of the nation.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very glad to see that almost all of the reports (about
\nrecent cases) in the past few days have been handled properly to
\nprevent further problems,\" Hamami said.<\/p>\n
The meeting at the Taman Safari Indonesia national zoo in the
\nCisarua mountain resort, one-hour drive from Jakarta, was also
\nattended by chief of the Indonesian Journalists Association
\nSofjan Lubis and Tarman Azzam from the association's Jakarta
\nbranch. (bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/press-must-help-maintain-security-before-elections-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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