'Press must help maintain security before elections'

'Press must help maintain security before elections'

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami
Nata called on reporters yesterday to help create a favorable
atmosphere in Jakarta for next year's general election.

"You all may know that there are always certain people of
groups that plan to do something to disturb the public prior to
election day for their own personal or group's benefits," the
two-star general told a press gathering here.

These irresponsible parties know how to exploit the period
before the 1997 general election for their mission, he said.

Without the help of responsible press corps, the trouble-
makers' activities could go on unheeded, Hamami said.

"Should it not happen this way (if the press is
irresponsible), only the innocent will lose their property and
their lives," he said.

"It's always the people who know nothing about the activities
that suffer more than the parties involved," Hamami said.

Therefore, he said, media personnel must carefully select the
content of their reports.

"Your reports could prevent turbulence or spark and widen
serious chaos. It totally depends on what you want," he told the
gathering of around 50 crime reporters.

"It's not wrong for us to urge the press to think wisely for
the sake of our country and its people before printing reports,
especially those which could create nationwide disturbances," he
said.

A number of criminal cases relating to religious issues have
happened recently in the capital and in a few other cities around
the country.

Last month, for instance, an angry mob threw stones at the
Kronjo Police sub-precinct in Tangerang after its chief ordered
his personnel to question a man caught praying the Holy Koran
before the morning prayer.

In that case, Hamami immediately replaced the chief of the
Kronjo Police.

Another serious incident happened in Bekasi recently but,
according to current regulations, the media were not allowed to
report it because they were told it could have sparked widening
disturbances which could have endangered the life of the nation.

"I'm very glad to see that almost all of the reports (about
recent cases) in the past few days have been handled properly to
prevent further problems," Hamami said.

The meeting at the Taman Safari Indonesia national zoo in the
Cisarua mountain resort, one-hour drive from Jakarta, was also
attended by chief of the Indonesian Journalists Association
Sofjan Lubis and Tarman Azzam from the association's Jakarta
branch. (bsr)