Soeharto supports planned govt and media forum on policy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto gave his blessings yesterday
\nto a proposal to have senior editors and cabinet ministers in a
\nforum to harmonize their perceptions on government policies.<\/p>\n
\"The President said this forum is important for both sides to
\ndevelop mutual understanding about state affairs,\" said Alwi
\nDahlan, vice chairman of the Agency for the Propagation of
\nPancasila (BP7).<\/p>\n
Alwi, accompanied by BP7 Chairman Soeprapto, met with Soeharto
\nat Merdeka Palace to report on the agency's latest activities.<\/p>\n
\"The President said the idea is very good. Such a forum is
\nneeded by the mass media and the government so that they both
\nattain better insight,\" Alwi said.<\/p>\n
Sixty-nine chief editors recently took part in a 10-day
\nadvanced level course on Pancasila called \"Manggala\" in Bogor,
\nabout 60 kilometers south of here. The course was opened by the
\nPresident.<\/p>\n
Alwi claimed that at the end of the course, several
\nparticipants suggested gatherings be held between them and senior
\ncabinet officials in order to exchange views and harmonize
\nperceptions on various problems facing the nation.<\/p>\n
He added that the President noted how misperceptions and a
\nlack of information on particular issues often created spats.
\nAlwi then pointed out that sometimes even officials have a less
\nthan accurate understanding of the press.<\/p>\n
Alwi said no fixed date for the gathering had been determined
\nbut promised \"it will be held soon\".<\/p>\n
He added that BP7 would soon hold Pancasila courses for
\nmanaging editors of the mass media.<\/p>\n
In his report to the President, Soeprapto said BP7 has
\nconcluded Pancasila courses of the Manggala level for all
\nprovincial governors and high-ranking civil servants with 813
\ntotal participants.<\/p>\n
Manggala courses have also been held for 632 state university
\nrectors and deans as well as 95 rectors and deans from private
\nuniversities.<\/p>\n
Over 7,800 level-two officials have taken part in courses held
\nby BP7, while bureaucrats of level three, four and five
\nthroughout the country will soon be trained.<\/p>\n
Both Soeprapto and Alwi claimed that participants found the
\ncourses helpful, allowing frank discussions about realistic
\nissues in everyday life. (mds)<\/p>",
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