Soeharto concerned by inaccurate media reports<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto expressed concern yesterday
\nover media reports on the country's situation which he believed
\nto be inaccurate and misleading.<\/p>\n
The President said such imbalanced reports, in both the print
\nand electronic media, could hinder government efforts to restore
\nthe country's economy as they had tarnished Indonesia's image
\nabroad.<\/p>\n
\"It seems that the (media) does not understand the real
\nsituation,\" Minister of Information Muhammad Alwi Dahlan quoted
\nthe President as saying during their meeting at the Bina Graha
\npresidential office.<\/p>\n
The President told the minister to pay serious attention to
\nthe situation in his supervision over the national media.<\/p>\n
The imbalanced and inaccurate reporting disinformed rather
\nthan informed the public, Alwi noted.<\/p>\n
The minister declined to say whether the President gave him
\nany specific examples of inaccurate media reports but indicated
\nthat Soeharto complained about reports on the country's economy
\nand their impact on social and political stability.<\/p>\n
Alwi, a mass communications professor, however, acknowledged
\nthat government officials sometimes failed to give comprehensive
\ninformation to the media.<\/p>\n
\"It is very often that information given by officials is so
\nbrief that people do not catch the meaning,\" Alwi said.<\/p>\n
He also noted that officials sometimes became uncomfortable
\nwhen they could not answer journalists' questions and reacted by
\ngiving \"unproportional\" statements.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes, as oriental people, we do not have the heart to
\nsay that we do not know enough or just say 'no comment',\" Alwi
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
According to Alwi, Soeharto told his ministers early this
\nmonth not to talk about issues outside of their jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
The minister also said he could understand journalists'
\ncomplaints about how difficult it usually was to obtain accurate
\nand prompt information from government officials.<\/p>\n
\"The President told me to coordinate and talk with other
\nministers so the media can get complete information,\" Alwi
\npointed out.<\/p>\n
Minister of Trade and Industry Mohamad \"Bob\" Hasan sparked
\nsome controversy Monday when he said the government would not
\nlift its ban on crude palm oil exports this month in order to
\nstabilize the domestic supply.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry
\nGinandjar Kartasasmita had to counter the statement because it
\ncontradicted the government's agreement with the International
\nMonetary Fund.<\/p>\n
Alwi also criticized yesterday reports of private television
\nstations which he described as unproportional and failing to put
\nthings into perspective.<\/p>\n
\"It does not help to restore the situation,\" he noted.<\/p>\n
When asked about the media coverage on the ongoing student
\ndemonstrations, the minister said the demonstrations had not been
\nprofessionally covered. He questioned, for instance, the media's
\nestimates of the number of people participating in the
\ndemonstrations.<\/p>\n
The media reports created an image \"as if Indonesia is full of
\nstudent (demonstrations), and the perception could eventually
\nbecome a realty,\" said Alwi. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-concerned-by-inaccurate-media-reports-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}