New minister to bring hope to press, say analysts
New minister to bring hope to press, say analysts
JAKARTA (JP): The local press was advised yesterday not to
fear tighter rules under the new Minister of Information Gen. R.
Hartono.
Military analyst Salim Said said yesterday the press had had
no problems under the four military officers who had led the
ministry before Hartono, who retires as Army chief of staff today
to become a cabinet minister tomorrow.
"Don't just look at somebody's background to predict his line
of policies as a minister," he said. "A minister does not work as
an individual but as part of a team of fellow ministers as the
President's aides."
Hartono was named minister of information last Friday to
replace Harmoko who has held the post since 1983.
Salim said the campaign for press freedom could continue under
the new minister, but its success would depend more on the
interaction between the government and the press than the
minister's background.
"Due to the specific characteristics of Indonesia, the press
should avoid sensitive news. The government will loosen its grip
if it believes that the press will not abuse its freedom," Salim
said.
The 1982 Press Law rules out censorship and press bans, but a
1984 Minister of Information Decree says that bans will be
imposed for either material or administrative violations.
"Let's hope that building the government's trust will not take
long," said Salim, also a media expert.
Political and media analyst Muhammad Budhyatna said Hartono's
appointment was part of Golkar's election pledge to "eradicate
corruption, collusion and manipulation within the bureaucracy to
create a clean government."
He said Golkar's campaign promises, which had required
President Soeharto's consent, now had to be delivered, which
would require press participation.
"It is at this critical point -- where the press can play a
relatively free role -- that the press must be protected by a
strong figure, which in this country means someone from the
military," said Budhyatna of the University of Indonesia's School
of Social and Political Sciences.
Budhyatna said the press would "one day enjoy a safer working
environment in its partnership with the military when President
Soeharto eventually gives an order to eradicate corruption".
"Here I see that the President regards Hartono as the right
man to be minister of information to protect the press in
carrying out its crusade against corruption," he said.
Budhyatna said the new minister should make a good start by
revoking the controversial ministerial decree.
"The atmosphere now is that the younger generation is
demanding more freedom of expression, a change they have seen in
England," he said, referring to the election of Tony Blair as
British premier.
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation called on Hartono
yesterday to drop the ministerial decree, saying that it did not
comply with the Press Law.
"The decree is a legal product which should have been revoked
for reinstating the outdated press ban," the foundation said in a
statement signed by its operational secretary, Munir.
Media expert Bachtiar Aly said Hartono should listen more to
the press' grievances and problems.
But Bachtiar of the University of Indonesia said that Hartono
was unlikely to revoke the ministerial decree because of his
military background.
"He will not revoke the regulation because it is considered
relevant in the light of security interests," he said.
He said the situation would improve if the new minister was
willing to establish a harmonious interaction with the press and
respect its work.
"They should understand each other and evaluate each other on
the same ground. Nobody would lose in this interaction," he said.
Bachtiar suggested that, before starting his new job, Hartono
should meet the press and listen to their problems. "The minister
should be willing to listen to them rather than giving them
instructions," he said. (11/aan/amd)