Harmoko expects no press bans in 1995
Harmoko expects no press bans in 1995
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Harmoko hopes he won't be forced to revoke any press publishing licenses this year, but has stressed that publications must also abide by the rules.
"I hope there will be no revocations of SIUPP in 1995," Harmoko said yesterday, using the acronym for the press licenses issued which are issued by the government.
Speaking at a reception marking the 25th anniversary of the Media Indonesia daily newspaper, the minister said the government would not resort to revocations as long as the press complied with the guidelines and regulations.
Three newsweeklies lost their publishing licenses last year, with the government saying that they had repeatedly ignored official warnings about their editorial content or the scope of their reporting. The three magazines -- Tempo, Editor and DeTik -- were forced to close down after losing their licenses.
Publishing licenses are controlled by the Ministry of Information.
Harmoko, himself a former journalist, said the Indonesian press must use the freedom it enjoys with the greatest sense of responsibility. The Indonesian press, he said, must support the Pancasila democracy.
He reminded those present, including senior journalists, that the Indonesian press had a duty to enhance the intellectual level of the people.
Another duty of the press is to act as a social control mechanism, but he said that in discharging this duty, the press must be "constructive and corrective, and not destructive."
The Media Indonesia anniversary reception yesterday was timed to coincide with the inauguration of the newspaper's new building in the Delta Kodya area in West Jakarta. The one-story building houses the newspaper's new printing machine. The newspaper invested some Rp 50 billion ($23 million) in the building and facilities.
Bold
The newspaper, known for its bold reporting during the six years since publisher Surya Paloh took charge, also unveiled its new logo at yesterday's reception.
The newspaper had previously worked out of the Prioritas Building in Central Jakarta. Surya had been the publisher of the Prioritas newspaper before it lost its publishing license in 1988.
The reception was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Malaysian Information Minister Mohammad Rachmat, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas, Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and Chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council Sudomo.
In his speech at the anniversary Surya said one of the challenges facing newspapers today was that of surviving stiff business competition without abandoning their ideals.
The newspaper's newly inaugurated building and facility should help Media Indonesia in this quest, he added. (emb)