New press publishing permits frozen

New press publishing permits frozen

JAKARTA (JP): The government has frozen the issuance of
press publishing licenses (SIUPP) for 1995, except for special
sector publications like trade and sports gazettes, Minister of
Information Harmoko announced yesterday.

Harmoko said after presenting press awards at the Indonesian
Journalists Association (PWI) that the government would not issue
any new publishing licenses for newspapers or magazines on
current affairs in 1995.

"We have too many press publications," the minister said,
citing the current 283 licensed publications throughout the
country.

The door however is still open for those who want to offer
special publications such as trade and sports magazines to the
public.

Harmoko's statement comes as the final blow to any remaining
hopes by a group of former journalists of the defunct Tempo
current affairs magazine of starting a new publication of their
own. The journalists have applied to Harmoko's office for a new
SIUPP.

Asked about this matter yesterday, Harmoko said there was no
chance for them to obtain a new license. "It's final."

He pointed out that the government has already issued one
new license to the former Tempo employees, who started up Gatra
magazine last month.

Tempo lost its license in June for repeatedly ignoring the
government's warnings about its editorial content. The former
employees of the magazine have since split into two groups, the
one for Gatra, which is financed by timber tycoon Mohamad (Bob)
Hasan, and another group intending to establish their own. Some
of the former employees are suing Harmoko for his decision to
revoke Tempo's SIUPP.

Besides Tempo, two other current affairs magazine Editor and
DeTik also lost their licenses in one swoop in June.

Asked whether he thinks there will be more magazine closures
next year, Harmoko said yesterday that there was no reason why
any publication should lose its SIUPP as long as it complies with
the regulations laid out by the Press Council.

"I hope there will not be any need for any media ban in
1995," he said.

He warned that the government will not hesitate to punish
publications, which violate regulations and the journalistic code
of ethics.

Looking back at outgoing 1994, he said the local media
industry overall has done its part in supporting the national
development program.

The press has not only been reporting on the development
activities, it has also fulfilled its function as a mechanism of
social control, the former journalist said.

The government always welcome any criticism from the press,
as long as this is done within the prescribed guidelines and is
constructive, he said, adding that the press also has the duty of
educating people and encouraging critical thinking and reasoning.

Harmoko yesterday presented awards for the best articles in
connection with this year's National Awakening Day.

Desi Fernanda from the Bandung Post won for best article on
democracy, and Maria Hartiningsih from Kompas daily won the
feature writing award for her article profiling Kardinah
Soepardjo Rustam, an activist of the government-sponsored PKK, a
grassroots organization for the support of family welfare.

Suara Pembaruan won in the category for best editorial,
while the Medan-based Analisa was named as the best press
publication.

PWI's Secretary-General, Parni Hadi, said there was no
winner for this year's best report.

The four-member team of judges, presided over by Tribuana
Said, selected the winners from 39 publications during the period
of May 20, 1993, to May 20, 1994.

In his speech, Harmoko told the domestic press not to be
carried away by the actions of the foreign press, which
discredited the nation and its government in the name of human
rights.

"We have to stick to the state ideology Pancasila," he said.

He underlined that the domestic press should maintain
Indonesia's existing values and nationalism. (sim)