Press reminded of its obligations<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie warned the national press
\non Tuesday not to abuse its freedom by libeling, running
\nagitating reports or those serving to further its ambitions.<\/p>\n
Speaking during the commemoration of the country's 53rd
\nNational Press Day, the President expressed his hope that members
\nof the press would not only remember their rights but also their
\nmoral obligations to the nation.<\/p>\n
\"Press freedom does not mean a freedom to spread rumors...
\nespecially hoaxes and smear reports which can create unrest and
\nchaos in society,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, the chairman of the press day
\ncommemoration, Leo Batubara, told Habibie, \"It would be
\nimpossible for a (shackled) press to channel the people's
\naspirations; (it would just follow) the thoughts of a few people
\nwho have power.\"<\/p>\n
The commemoration was held at the State Palace, and attended
\nby about 200 veteran journalists and media owners form throughout
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
This was the President's second warning to the press,
\nfollowing a statement he made at the 61st anniversary of Antara
\nnews agency in December. Then he said, \"The press must maintain
\nbalance in its coverage to ensure it does not become a tyranny
\nwhich can dictate public opinion.\"<\/p>\n
\"The press must be able to distinguish information from
\nagitation or propaganda,\" he reiterated on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Unlike his previous meeting with veteran journalists last June
\nwhen he spoke for hours about his expectations for the press,
\nHabibie did not depart from his official speech on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
However, Habibie also promised on Tuesday the national press
\nwould not be subjected again to the type of governmental
\noppression which occurred during the 32 years Soeharto held
\npower.<\/p>\n
\"We realize that during the New Order regime the national
\npress was strictly controlled through various regulations and
\npolicies,\" Habibie stated.<\/p>\n
Fikri Jufri, general manager of Tempo newsweekly, and
\njournalist Ahmad Taufik smiled at this statement.<\/p>\n
Tempo was banned in June 1994, shortly after it reported on
\nthe purchase of used warships from Germany. The transaction was
\napproved by Habibie, then state minister of research and
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
Taufik was jailed in 1994 for distributing unlicensed
\nIndependen magazine, which was managed by the then unrecognized
\nAlliance of Independent Journalists (AJI). The association was
\nestablished as a protest against the official Indonesian
\nJournalists Association (PWI), which many criticized for failing
\nto protect journalists from oppression.<\/p>\n
While other journalists applauded, PWI chairman Tarman Azzam
\nsat unsmiling when Habibie said, \"We have left the era of a
\nsingle organization for any profession.\"<\/p>\n
Minister of Information Lt. Gen. Muhammad Yunus said the
\ncountry had more than 1,000 press licenses, including 630 issued
\nsince Soeharto's resignation last May.<\/p>\n
\"If we seriously want to develop the nation, this number is
\nfar from sufficient,\" Yunus said.<\/p>\n
Separately, the chairman of the Indonesian TV Journalist
\nAssociation, Haris Jauhari, welcomed the planned establishment of
\n15 new private television stations, which would join the current
\nsix stations, including state-run TVRI.<\/p>\n
\"There is no problem. This shows that in the present era of
\nfreedom, the Indonesian press -- including television operators
\n-- are required to work hard in order to survive,\" Antara quoted
\nHaris as saying on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Thamrin Amal Tomagola, a sociologist at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia, said the new found freedom meant the
\nmedia would have to be managed even more professionally and
\nfacilitate further reforms.<\/p>\n
\"Now the press must be even more responsible in their
\nreporting,\" he said on the sidelines of a seminar on the June 7
\ngeneral election.<\/p>\n
\"In that sense, the press should uphold the principles of
\nintegrity, impartiality, independence and neutrality,\" Thamrin
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
Dimyati Hartono, a legal expert at Diponegoro University, put
\nmore emphasis on a transparent and neutral discourse in the
\npress. He also urged the press not to become bogged down by
\ninsignificant issues.<\/p>\n
\"People will eventually leave media which run libelous or
\nsensational news,\" he said. (prb\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/press-reminded-of-its-obligations-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}