Press welcomes new minister of information

Press welcomes new minister of information

JAKARTA (JP): Local journalists welcomed yesterday President
Soeharto's appointment of retiring Army Chief of Staff Gen. R.
Hartono as minister of information, hoping that the rare
ministerial change would bode well for the national press.

Chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association, Sofyan
Lubis, said yesterday he believed the press would develop
significantly under Hartono, who will replace Harmoko.

"We can hope for significant reforms to Indonesian press law
during Hartono's era," he told journalists at Golkar's
headquarters. Sofyan is a Golkar executive, while Harmoko is its
chairman.

The 1966 press law had to be amended to keep up with
communication technology developments and the inevitable
globalization and trade liberalization, Sofyan said.

He said he would not have any problem cooperating with a
minister of information with a military background. "I once
worked with the late Soegeng Widjaja," he said.

Soegeng was a brigadier-general when he chaired the
journalists association from 1989 to 1994. Sofyan, also the chief
editor of the metropolitan-oriented Pos Kota daily, was the
association's secretary-general at the time.

Bambang Harymurti, executive editor of the Media Indonesia
daily, also said he was optimistic the press would enjoy better
conditions under Hartono. "In the military, he is the most
prepared and intelligent man who communicates well with
civilians," he said.

Bambang said that Hartono's background -- as a former chief of
the Armed Forces sociopolitical affairs, former Army chief of
staff and former head of the Command School -- should help the
press improve communications with the ministry.

"As an intellectual, he is surely used to arguments, so it is
hoped that the press will enjoy a better atmosphere," Bambang
said.

Open

Bambang, a former journalist for the now banned Tempo weekly
magazine, recalled how open Hartono was to the press when he was
the Armed Forces chief of sociopolitical affairs.

"He was willing to talk to journalists even when the ministry
of information had closed its doors," Bambang said.

Also commenting on Hartono's appointment was H.A.M. Ruslan --
the chief editor of Bandung-based Pikiran Rakyat daily. He said
he hoped that Hartono would fully understand journalist's
aspirations.

"Because as far as I know, he is close and friendly to
journalists. I hope he understands the conditions of the press,"
he said.

General manager of the Liputan 6 SCTV television news program,
Sumita Tobing, was also optimistic on Hartono's appointment.

"I hope the press, particularly broadcast journalism, can
improve because broadcasting has a very important role in public
education," she said. (05/imn/aan)