PWI urges govt to be more open

PWI urges govt to be more open

JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the Indonesian Journalists
Association (PWI), Sofyan Lubis, yesterday urged government
officials to abandon their fear of the media and be more open in
providing public information.

"Officials should no longer try to hide things from the press.
Open access to information," he said in Banjarmasin on Saturday
night during the swearing in ceremony of executives of the local
PWI branch.

"Now is no longer a time to be afraid of the press," he
remarked, adding that officials and journalists should
consistently engage in dialog so they can establish a common
understanding of the information needed for dissemination.

Speaking on the proposal for a licensing system for
journalists, Sofyan said the PWI was already planning to sort out
the distribution of PWI cards to ensure only those who were truly
bonafide journalists got one.

"If we find a holder who is not a press employee than we will
revoke it," he said as quoted by Antara.