Protect the press!

Protect the press!

From Koran Tempo

The Indonesian press has grown a very slow pace without any
significant progress, particularly compared to advanced countries
where press freedom is highly respected.

As a democratic nation, Indonesia should truly guarantee press
freedom by law. The 1999 Press Law interprets press freedom as
the freedom to obtain information. In fact, the press seeks,
gains and conveys information and views by any means, while press
freedom should be a right.

In the past dictatorship regime, the press was subjected to
censorship and even publication bans. Today, as the nation claims
to be democratic and uphold human rights, press control leads to
segmentation under the influence of certain organizations,
ideologies, political slants and even racial considerations.

The press is thus disguisedly restricted by such forms of
domination, especially through bribery, so that the social
control function of the press is yet to be questioned.
Journalists have a responsibility to seek the truth, but some
circles benefit from the limited income of reporters to dictate
and hide the truth.

The government should therefore examine the problem and oppose
all attempts to muzzle the press. The public should protect the
press and fight all parties trying to utilize it for their own
interests. We must start now, otherwise there will be no true
freedom.

GLORIA NATALIA
Jatinangor, West Java