Press freedom to be tested in polls

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The press will undergo a crucial test of its independence in the face of the upcoming general election since the intervention of interest groups in the mass media will be unavoidable, says an election executive.

The chairman of the press department at the General Elections Commission (KPU), Victor Menayang, said threats to the independence of the press could be in the form of media owners' interference in editorial policy as well as outside intimidation.

He also doubted law enforcers' ability and willingness to provide legal protection for media establishments running articles that might cause inconvenience or discredit some parties.

"We all know the mass media has more information on political parties and politicians than common people do. They sell the information through newspapers, televisions or radio.

"Ideally, no side can interfere with nor intimidate them, but thuggery is everywhere now, while legal enforcers have in many cases failed to protect newspeople," he said on the second day of a three-day national convention on Indonesia's mass media at Radin Hotel in North Jakarta on Sunday.

The convention is being held to mark National Press Day on Feb. 9.

One such case of intimidation of the press is when the Nahdlatul Ulama's militia Banser put pressure on the Jawa Pos daily in 2000 when the daily ran articles that Banser considered too critical of then president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.

Gus Dur is a former chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, the county's largest Muslim organization.

Menayang questioned the independence of Media Indonesia daily and Metro TV station in covering the elections since its owner, Surya Paloh, has his own political interests "to deploy the two media" to support his presidential race.

"We realize that he may violate the new Broadcasting Law that stipulates that television stations should benefit all Indonesian people, instead of particular parties. But what can we do about it?" he said.

"We want the press to be independent, but we forget about equipping them with appropriate legal protection."

Hamid Awaluddin, a member of the KPU, called on the mass media to help the KPU inform the public about the 24 parties contending the elections, their visions, platforms, party logos and figures, including their presidential candidates, so that people could choose what party to support.

Separately, press observer Atmakusumah Astraatmadja said the lack of solidarity among media establishments had also undermined press independence.

He said the press should publish any violations against their profession because "the power of the press lies in the way they disseminate information about injustices, even if they have to face unwanted things such as physical attacks and intimidation."

Atmakusumah, also former chairman of the Press Council, regretted that several mass media executives had remained silent or were reluctant to display solidarity with colleagues who had faced intimidation or abuse in the past, fearful that solidarity among media outlets might affect their own interests.

"Members of the press have to fight for their own fate, which they will have the chance of doing only if they are united and develop solidarity among themselves," he told The Jakarta Post by telephone.

He said that intimidation or abuse were common in the mass media, which was committed to playing an independent role in promoting new thoughts and enlightening the people, especially when it had to deal with conservatism and partiality.

"Even the press should not be discouraged in facing power- holders, otherwise the mass media will only function as a herald for capitalists and power holders," he said.