'Media can kill politicians many times over'

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta

Swedish politician Birgitta Olsen well could use this famous quotation by former British prime minister Winston Churchill to describe her feelings about being a politician.

Olsen, 28, is the youngest member of the Swedish Parliament and understands that politicians are prone to libel or defamation.

"It's true that I am still young and beautiful, but I have been killed (by mass media several times)," the Liberal Party politician said at a one-day workshop titled "Politicians and Media: Partners or Enemies?" here on Tuesday.

The workshop was jointly organized by Indonesia's Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and Sweden's International Liberal Center (SILO).

Olsen emphasized that although the media sometimes misquoted people and generated resentment, politicians must defend the very basic principle of freedom of the press.

She said she fully understood that to survive in politics, a good relationship with the media was required. "I think the relations between politicians and media are mutually beneficial," she said.

Olsen added that a relationship with the media must not become tainted with attempts to bribe journalists.

Indonesian legislator Dwi Ria Latifa concurred with Olsen, saying that the media had helped advance her political career.

Ria Latifa of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said that it would be naive to consider the media as an enemy.

She, however, disagreed with the practice of some publications to print caricatures of President Megawati and House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, saying "it hurts the feelings of the politicians and their families."

A senior Swedish journalist, Marianne Huhne, who also spoke at the workshop, said the Swedish media played an important role in controlling politicians.

Giving an example, Huhne said that one top Swedish politician had failed to run for prime minister following a media report claiming she had used state money to buy a Toblerone chocolate for herself.

"Principally, the media must publish correct news," said Huhne, who currently teaches journalism at a college in Stockholm.

Arif Zulkifli from Tempo newsweekly said politicians were a good source from which to obtain news.

He recalled that a Golkar politician had given him a detailed description of a meeting that took place at the residence of former president BJ Habibie after his accountability speech was rejected by the People's Consultative Assembly in 1999.

"As long as a journalist can verify the information, the motive of the politician giving the information can be ignored," Arif added.