Press comes under fire at House session

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian press was targeted with criticism yesterday for reporting which had allegedly stirred up trouble.

President Soeharto, in his state budget speech before the House of Representatives, warned the press and community leaders to avoid blowing up issues of economic disparity and poverty because this could lead to rioting which could destroy the social foundation and economic facilities.

He said coverage that mixed the views of public leaders, both formal and informal, or exposed differences of opinion, would only confuse people and diminish their self-confidence.

In such a situation, he reminded, "groups in society will easily become emotional and commit acts that are damaging to the nation."

If the press continued to blow up issues of economic disparity and poverty without offering realistic concepts for solving them, it would provoke the sensitivity of the country's diverse community, he said.

Immediately afterward, comments supporting Soeharto's remarks about the press poured in. Among those who commented was former vice president Sudharmono who said Soeharto's statement was a warning to the press.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono agreed, and asked the press not to "dramatize" or take a one-sided view of matters.

"The press is sometimes unfair," he said, adding that journalists sometimes presented stories in certain ways to achieve certain interests.

"If this continues, the press could create trouble," he said. "Of course the government has shortcomings but if everyday you focus only on the shortcomings, the nation will lose its confidence."

Chairman of the Golkar faction Moestahid Astari said President Soeharto did not mean to gag freedom of speech.

"It's not an attempt to prevent people from speaking out. There's no such a limitation. Speaking out is a right. The question is how people talk...there should be a mechanism and rules of the game," he said.

He dismissed suggestions that Soeharto's statement reflected the latter's reluctance to accept criticism.

"Pak Harto is open to criticism, opinion and suggestions, as long as it is proportionately given and not one-sided," he said.

"Don't just scrutinize the shortcomings, pay attention to the progress as well. Don't say that 30 years of development brings no progress at all," he said. "That's not fair."

Minister of Information Harmoko, who is also Golkar's chairman, chipped in with his own criticism of the press, calling on it to be introspective and more careful.

"There indeed have been press reports that stir up (trouble by pitting the opinions of) formal and nonformal leaders against one another," he said.

"The press should always remember its code of ethics," he said.

Legislator Theo Sambuaga, also of Golkar, warned the press not to blow up "negative issues" that could incite public anxiety.

Legislator Aisyah Amini of the Moslem-based United Development Party faction agreed that sometimes the press ran "raw stories," meaning unconfirmed and unbalanced reports.

"Before running a story, the press should dig deeper to discover the root of the matter so the story won't be shallow," she said. (swe)