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.