Soeharto concerned by inaccurate media reports

Soeharto concerned by inaccurate media reports

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto expressed concern yesterday
over media reports on the country's situation which he believed
to be inaccurate and misleading.

The President said such imbalanced reports, in both the print
and electronic media, could hinder government efforts to restore
the country's economy as they had tarnished Indonesia's image
abroad.

"It seems that the (media) does not understand the real
situation," Minister of Information Muhammad Alwi Dahlan quoted
the President as saying during their meeting at the Bina Graha
presidential office.

The President told the minister to pay serious attention to
the situation in his supervision over the national media.

The imbalanced and inaccurate reporting disinformed rather
than informed the public, Alwi noted.

The minister declined to say whether the President gave him
any specific examples of inaccurate media reports but indicated
that Soeharto complained about reports on the country's economy
and their impact on social and political stability.

Alwi, a mass communications professor, however, acknowledged
that government officials sometimes failed to give comprehensive
information to the media.

"It is very often that information given by officials is so
brief that people do not catch the meaning," Alwi said.

He also noted that officials sometimes became uncomfortable
when they could not answer journalists' questions and reacted by
giving "unproportional" statements.

"Sometimes, as oriental people, we do not have the heart to
say that we do not know enough or just say 'no comment'," Alwi
remarked.

According to Alwi, Soeharto told his ministers early this
month not to talk about issues outside of their jurisdiction.

The minister also said he could understand journalists'
complaints about how difficult it usually was to obtain accurate
and prompt information from government officials.

"The President told me to coordinate and talk with other
ministers so the media can get complete information," Alwi
pointed out.

Minister of Trade and Industry Mohamad "Bob" Hasan sparked
some controversy Monday when he said the government would not
lift its ban on crude palm oil exports this month in order to
stabilize the domestic supply.

Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry
Ginandjar Kartasasmita had to counter the statement because it
contradicted the government's agreement with the International
Monetary Fund.

Alwi also criticized yesterday reports of private television
stations which he described as unproportional and failing to put
things into perspective.

"It does not help to restore the situation," he noted.

When asked about the media coverage on the ongoing student
demonstrations, the minister said the demonstrations had not been
professionally covered. He questioned, for instance, the media's
estimates of the number of people participating in the
demonstrations.

The media reports created an image "as if Indonesia is full of
student (demonstrations), and the perception could eventually
become a realty," said Alwi. (prb)