Press freedom to be tested in polls

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.