Lampung journalists get special government funds

Lampung journalists get special government funds

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung

The provision of a special government fund for the media has been
commonplace in Lampung province for years, raising concern over
the impartiality of news coverage here.

Some Rp 50 million (US$5,555) to Rp 300 million is allocated
annually for periodic disbursements to journalists posted at
government agencies and local legislative councils in the
province.

The Lampung provincial administration provides a budget of Rp
500 million yearly, with an annual assistance Rp 48.2 million
earmarked for reporters, Rp 60 million for the print media and Rp
150 million for electronic and other media. The remaining Rp 100
million is given to the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI)
to assist with operational costs, while another Rp 150 million is
provided for the maintenance of PWI's office in Lampung.

The assistance for the dozens of journalists is usually
disbursed in monthly allotments at the respective legislative
councils. Each journalist receives Rp 100,000.

The Bandarlampung municipal government earmarks Rp 60 million
annually, with Rp 10 million for journalists and Rp 50 million
each year for the mass media for publication of news reports and
photographs.

A council member, Mingrum Gumay, said the payment of reporters
should actually be abolished as it was a burden on the
administrations.

"But it's quite difficult because our colleagues at the
council consider it transportation money. They reason that it is
fair to provide journalists with such funds," said Gumay.

Chairman of Lampung's Association of Independent Journalists
(AJI), Firman Seponada, said that the assistance for journalists
and PWI was once stopped in 2001 due to protests from AJI.

"But the following year, provision of such funds started again
and has continued to date. Funds are also available for PWI and
state run radio, news wire services and television stations
because they are considered partners of the government in
development," he said.

According to Firman, local administrations and legislative
councils have always approved budgets for the media. "The Lampung
Legislative Council nearly disbursed funds amounting to Rp 200
million for freelance journalists. Luckily a journalist at the
council reported this to us and the proposal was later rejected,"
said Firman.

Although that proposal was rejected, the council still
approved Rp 500 million to be distributed to journalists covering
the legislature and administration and the print or electronic
media they worked for.

Firman added that besides receiving the official funds from
the budget, freelance journalists also solicited additional funds
from government agencies and schools, and even at village
offices.

"They submit project proposals worth millions of rupiah, but
when rejected, they are willing to accept an amount as small as
Rp 50,000," said Firman.

An activist at the Lampung Media Center (LMC), Jauhari
Zaelani, said reporters should be on an equal footing with
officials in the bureaucracy and not receive money from them.

"It's a form of submission. They cannot report objectively if
they receive such monthly allowances," said Zaelani.

He added that the practice would encourage corruption and make
the media impotent.

A reporter from a local publication admitted to having
accepted monthly stipends from the local administration because
of the low salary he gets. "I'm only paid Rp 300,000 per month
with a transportation allowance of Rp 500 per day. If I refused
the assistance, how could I support my family," he said on the
condition of anonymity.

By accepting the funds from government sources, he could
pocket Rp 4 million to Rp 5 million a month and pay monthly
installments on a car.