Media seen as timid

Media seen as timid

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: The local media has lost much of
its freedom since Megawati Soekarnoputri ascended to the
presidency in July, National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Alwi
Sihab said on Wednesday.

Alwi said that the Indonesian media enjoyed maximum freedom
during the administration of Megawati's predecessor, Abdurrahman
"Gus Dur" Wahid.

"This (less freedom of the press) is no secret. While during
Gus Dur's administration, freedom of expression reached such
heights that even the media in the West does not enjoy," said
Alwi.

Alwi, who was Gus Dur's minister of foreign affairs, said that
the New York Times, a leading American newspaper, once said that
promoting freedom of the press and democracy was Gus Dur's best
achievement.

Alwi made the remarks when addressing a discussion on
democracy among activists of non-governmental organizations.
--Antara