Legislators

Legislators

From Kompas

Reporters are often blamed by members of the House of
Representatives for not giving full support to the function of
the House. Citing an example, one legislator, Mrs. Marwah Daud,
said reporters came to a House hearing only when the government
made a statement (Kompas, Nov. 11), leaving the debates between
the House and the government unattended. The result was the
reporters had the impression that the legislators only gave their
approval to government actions.

I am not intending to defend my profession, but I would like
to present the true picture. On the contrary to what is said by
the legislator above, we reporters have enthusiastically wanted
to support the honorable legislators. Some legislators often put
questions through their colleagues to be raised during the
debates. It is no secret that many legislators do not bother to
ask questions during a hearing with the government. A minister
once said the legislators should not ask questions on the same
issues all the time.

Reporters are supportive of the legislators' functions. This
is evident when legislators come to the pressroom to hand out
press releases. Sometimes it is the reporter who writes the
release for a legislator.

Let each of us engage in introspection in order to enhance our
respective service. Reporters should act according to their
profession, and legislators also should work according to their
commitment, including as a control to government's actions. Why
do people prefer to come to the National Committee on Human
Rights to forward their cases rather than to the House of
Representatives? Is it right to work on behalf of the people, but
for personal benefit?

We should all learn to be more mature, and not try to make
other parties scapegoats for our own flaws.

A Jakarta reporter