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)