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)