Cutting out the misinformation to tell the truth on touchy issues
Cutting out the misinformation to tell the truth on touchy issues
Philip Flood, Sydney
The Australia Indonesia Institute is delighted to congratulate
The Jakarta Post on its 20th anniversary.
Through outstanding editorials, impressive news coverage and
excellent features, The Jakarta Post has played a major role in
informing an English-speaking audience of developments in
Indonesia and of global developments from an Indonesian
perspective.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the Post and
others were pushing the boundaries of freedom of the press in a
responsible way, I recall the courage and independence shown by
your journalists. Good journalists are well served by outstanding
editors and some, like Sabam Siagian, have gone on to become
brilliant ambassadors for Indonesia.
The founders of the Post deserve high praise for the political
and financial risks they took in beginning an imaginative
venture. English-speaking audiences around the globe as well as
within Indonesia need to know what is happening in the world's
largest Muslim nation and the most important country in Southeast
Asia. The Jakarta Post has met that need admirably.
At the present time, much of the Western world is confused
about Islam. Historical knowledge is undervalued. The
contribution of Islam to social justice, philosophy, poetry,
medicine, mathematics and astronomy has been largely forgotten.
In the minds of many Islam has become associated with violence
and the Taliban's warped vision of religion. Indonesia can play a
role in changing this. Indonesia has been a beacon for moderate
Islam and for tolerance and cooperation with other religions, and
the voice of Indonesia's moderate Muslim leaders needs to become
more vocal and to find an audience in the West.
The Jakarta Post can play a vital role in this.
Many thousands of Australians have enhanced their
understanding and their affection for the people of Indonesia
through the excellent work of the Post. We look forward to much
more in the next 20 years.
(The writer was Australia's ambassador to Indonesia. He
currently chairs the Australia Indonesia Institute).