Reporters urged to respect profession

JAKARTA (JP): There have been many reports of crime reporters abusing drugs, including Ecstasy pills obtained from police officers, and the chairman of the Jakarta branch of Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI Jaya) has said that reporters must respect their profession.

Tarman Azam, PWI Jaya chairman, said recently that as citizens, reporters have the right to do anything, including abuse drugs.

"We cannot prohibit individuals from doing something, like drinking beer and taking Ecstasy. But, if a reporter (member of PWI) does something to damage the organization's reputation, he or she will face punishment," Tarman said when asked to comment on reports that many reporters had been found high on Ecstasy by police officers in a raid in Ancol, North Jakarta.

The latest issue of Sinar weekly reported that many crime reporters took Ecstasy pills obtained from police officers who confiscated the pills in raids on nightspots.

The magazine quoted a police officer as saying that reporters had become aggressive during the raids. "Usually the reporters ask the officers for the Ecstasy pills confiscated in the raids," the weekly said. The weekly did not go into detail.

Tarman said he had never received a report on the matter, but if such things did happen, "We will take necessary steps."

"If the reporters are not PWI members we will advise their editors to take action against them. If they are PWI members, we (the organization) could give administrative punishment," he said.

Relationship

Criminologist Adrianus Meliala said that officers who gave reporters anything which could be used as material evidence are corrupt.

"Corruption does not always mean money. Abusing evidence is also corruption as it's against standard procedure," said Adrianus of the University of Indonesia.

There are times when crime reporters have a good relationship with police officers, but the relationship must not mean the revelation of secrets in a police investigation or giving up evidence to reporters, he said. "Everything looks okay for the reporters, even though their respect of the ethics of the profession is questionable. Under such circumstances there will be problems for the officers.

"Material evidence must be properly preserved as it relates to possible violations of a person's rights if they become suspects," he said.

Adrianus said he had not heard about reporters getting Ecstasy pills from police officers. "This is interesting. It is too naive if, due to friendship, the officers surrender evidence to reporters."

Under Indonesian law, Ecstasy is not considered a narcotic but a psychotropic drug. The House of Representatives has endorsed a bill on psychotropic drugs that will allow courts to punish anyone producing, using, distributing, possessing or storing psychotropic drugs without due authorization. (sur/04)