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)