Surya Paloh: A publisher with idealism
Surya Paloh: A publisher with idealism
By T. Sima Gunawan
In conjunction with National Press Day and the 50th anniversary of the Indonesian Journalists Association, which fell on Feb. 9, The Jakarta Post talked to publisher Surya Paloh.
JAKARTA (JP): Surya Paloh secured a spot in the history of the Indonesian press as the first publisher to challenge the validity of a government press ban in court.
In 1992, five years after his Prioritas daily was banned, Surya asked the Supreme Court to review a controversial ministerial decree that allowed the Minister of Information to revoke publishing licenses.
In 1993 the Supreme Court dismissed the suit because it had yet to issue its judicial review procedures for such cases. However, Surya's boldness prompted the Supreme Court to issue the procedures, a judicial milestone. The judicial review procedures allowed the government to be challenged on any of its regulations, including ministerial decrees.
Based on the judicial review procedures, following the banning of Tempo, DeTik and Editor in 1994 over 1,000 journalists, press employees and mass media subscribers asked the Supreme Court to review the 1984 Decree of the Ministry of Information on the Publishing License (SIUPP). To date the court has yet to reach any decision.
Surya published Prioritas in 1986. The paper, which was critical of the government, lost its publishing license in June 1987 following a number of warnings from the government.
The daily, with a circulation of 95,000, was accused of publishing "insinuative and tendentious reports" that created "a situation that confused the public". Earlier in 1987, the paper was strongly reprimanded for carrying a story on Indonesia's huge foreign debt under what the government considered "a misleading headline".
After the ban, Surya applied for a new publishing license, but his application was rejected.
In 1989, Surya took over the management of Media Indonesia, then a poorly-managed newspaper. To improve the paper's image, Surya changed the logo, implemented a new managerial and editorial system and recruited young professionals. He even ruled that his male reporters wear ties.
"I want to change public perception that journalists are kumuh (sloppy)," he said.
He told the reporters to be proud of their profession and maintain their self-dignity.
Today, Media Indonesia has a circulation of 160,000.
Following Media Indonesia's success, Surya tried to develop a number of smaller publications.
Most of his endeavors failed. Yet, his fight to improve the Indonesian press has never waned.
When the government revoked the publishing licenses of Tempo, Editor and DeTik in 1993, Surya was deeply grieved and lashed out at the Indonesian Journalists Association for supporting the closures. He also regretted the lack of solidarity among the press community.
Surya was born in Aceh in 1951 and grew up in Medan, North Sumatra. He is married to Rosita Barack and has a son.
The following is an excerpt from The Jakarta Post's interview with Surya in his office earlier this week:
Q: What is the significance of the National Press Day?
A: This is the time for self-reflection, a deliberation about the role of the national press. I don't mean to exaggerate, but we have to be modest and honest about the fact that the national press' roll is still insignificant. We haven't made progress equal to the progress made by other professions or industries.
The press in this country needs empowerment.
We think we have done our best. But, honestly speaking, all of the instruments in the press community are trapped in the attitude of making excuses. We give ourselves too many excuses. If we fail to progress, we always put the blame on external factors. We are not able to develop solidarity among the press community and motivate ourselves to get closer to each other. There have been debacles which should have made us laugh at ourselves.
Q: Could you be more specific?
A: We have never been moved to fight for something which is important to the existence of the press. We don't have a strong basis of solidarity. The banning of newspapers is a concrete example. We have never really felt the agony of press bans.
One or two press groups might struggle hard, but there is prejudice that these groups struggle only in their own interest. Too bad. We should have looked at it more closely. Such prejudice affects our fight against press regulations.
Q: Doesn't press freedom have much to do with the external factors?
A: There are external and internal factors that make us unable to have a free press. Basically we are hypocrites. We are not brave. We are not united. We are egoists.
In the past, we were more positive even though we faced more handicaps. We must be thankful for the independence, the progress in development and in nation building.
We don't need to mislead the public by saying that we have not made significant achievements in the past 50 years. There has been a lot of progress and the press should have balanced this by playing a bigger role and by showing their existence, not just looking on.
Q: You mentioned the need to empower the press. How can this be done?
A: We must start by consolidating the press. The press community, like the Indonesian Journalists Association, the Press Council, the Graphics Association and the Association of Press Publishers must be independent.
What can we expect from an organization if its executives are not elected by its members?
It's hard. There are formal institutions, but they serve only as facades. What we need is the content, the body, the soul. Our Press Council is not able to channel our aspirations and struggle for the true values of the press. We don't need to lie. The time to say "we are solid" has passed. We are now only extras, not the lead player. The question is: Do we still want to be extras? Don't we want to be the lead?
Q: Can the press institutions be independent?
A: After being colonized for 350 years, did people dream that they would gain independence? They thought freedom was an illusion, but we did gain our independence. There was struggle and sacrifice.
Don't we want to struggle and sacrifice for press independence? What is it that we want?
This is also a query for the elders in the press community, who are egoists, who come with their skilled oratory that gives the impression they are wise. These old people think they have done the most for the press, they say this and that. This is a query for those who can't uphold the dream for an ideal press.
A: How about the Alliance of Independent Journalists?
Q: It does not help. But the fact that it is there indicates that we can't stand still. The thing with the alliance is that it is floating, it can't really move, it can't get the legitimation (from the government) because it jumps too far. There is no place for it to hang on. It would be more realistic to reform the Indonesian Journalists Association.
Q: But there are journalists who are allergic to the association.
A: That is our concern. It is their right not to be members, and the association must respect that. It should be introspective and ask itself why the journalists don't want to be members.
If I build a house but people won't live there, I would wonder. Maybe there are rats in the house, maybe it is too noisy, maybe the roof leaks and can't protect people when it rains.
Q: Are you optimistic that things can be improved?
A: Maybe my idea is an illusion, trapped in pragmatism. But how can we achieve our long-term goal if we only think about today? People might say that those who think about the future are crazy, too idealistic, extremists. We are trapped in a sick attitude. In the end, people will be too lazy to speak. In the end, we won't hear many creative ideas. This developing country will not give birth to many great thinkers, great people, great journalists, great works.
Q: How far does the government repress the freedom of speech?
A: There is surely government restraints on the freedom of speech.
We need deregulation to encourage people to speak. What can we expect from newspapers that have the number of pages limited? A few years ago, when the government extended its page limitation from 16 to 20 pages, we cheered and clapped our hands. What was special about that? It is our right to print more pages.
About the publishing licenses, there is favoritism in their issuance, but the press itself is unable to expose this issue.
To get a license a publisher must fulfill a list of requirements and obtain references from the Indonesian Journalists Association, the Association of Press Publishers, and the rest. What is the point of giving the reference in the first place if they are not sure about the credibility of the applicant? They are the first filters.
Q: Why doesn't the media expose this issue? Are we afraid?
A: If the press is afraid, what can we do? Everyone has the right to be afraid. I can be afraid. But I'm not afraid to struggle for the press.
They are not involved in the struggle not because they are afraid, but because they are lazy. Generally, I think they won't struggle because they don't have an interest to struggle for. Without such interest, how can they defend a publication which is banned without any court decision? They just don't care.
When the publications (Tempo, Editor and DeTik) were banned, the Indonesian Journalists Association said they understood the government's decision to ban the media. I think they were sadists.
Q: The association is considering regulating journalists' starting salaries. What do you think?
A: We have to fully support the idea. This is part of our homework. The smaller publications should allow the bigger ones to grow bigger. But, the big ones should help the smaller ones to grow big.
Of the more than 200 newspapers in this country, only 20 or 25 percent are healthy. The rest are ailing.
In this case, the government must take action. Help the weak publications. Give them funds, from the state budget if need be.
Q: Why should the government care?
A: Why not? If the government does not want to help the smaller publications, liberate us with press freedom.
The government has regulations which they say protect the smaller publications. They limit the number of pages and don't allow long-distance printing systems for fear this will endanger the existence of the smaller publications.
I say this not only as a press observer. Call me a failed figure in the national press development. I have tried to develop 12 regional publications in the past four years. Only a few have managed.
Q: Are you sorry you decided to manage the small newspapers?
A: No. At least people won't think that I don't have solidarity with them. I have done everything I can.
My failure pays. I have gained valuable experience.
Q: What made you fail?
A: We faced marketing obstacles. Also, the purchasing power of the people was weak, the press regulations are limiting and human resources are weak. We have to admit that the press has failed to produce good managers.
Q: How much did you lose financial?
A: I lost Rp 35 billion (current rate US$15.2 million), that is a huge sum of money for a middle-class businessman like me.
Q: I understand that you have many other businesses. What are they?
A: I have various trading, supply and service businesses.
Q: Is it true that President Soeharto's son, Bambang Trihatmodjo, has shares in Media Indonesia?
A: He does not have any share in it. We are just good friends.
Q: Media Indonesia is an outspoken newspaper. Hasn't the government warned you?
A: We have had many warnings, sent orally and written. This makes all of us restless.
I wonder when the time will come when a court order is warranted for the revocation of a publishing license.
Q: Despite all of the warnings, you seem to be close to Minister of Information Harmoko.
A: Yes, he inaugurated our new building here in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, a year ago. We were friends long before he was appointed a minister.
Q: Well, I see that you are building a press kingdom here. How much did you allocate for this project?
A: How much is my investment in this? I won't tell, I don't want the tax collectors to know. Ha..ha..ha...
But you see. There is no guarantee that it will last forever. Anytime, the government can revoke our publishing license.
Q: Last year the Sunday edition of Media Indonesia temporarily stopped coming out after running an interview with Nurcholis Madjid on presidential succession. What happened?
A: That had nothing to do with anybody. I myself decided to stop publishing the Sunday edition for a while. We had to be able to read the situation. We didn't want to be overheated. We needed to cool down.
Q: Would you have done that kind of thing three or four years ago?
A: No. I don't think so. I have learned a lot from my past experience. As people say, experience is the best teacher.
Q: How about press freedom?
A: Let me make myself clear. I have never wanted absolute press freedom. We need freedom which is in accordance with the progress of the state and the nation. We don't have to put our place like the press in America or in communist countries.
Q: Why are you interested in the media business?
A: When I was 17 years old, I wanted to become a publisher. I wanted to give something to the public.
I was a youth activist. At the age of 19, I was the leader of Golkar students and youths in Medan and was nominated for the city council. In 1977 I was chairman of the Society of Young Indonesian Businessmen. I was a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (from 1977-1987). I am still loyal to Golkar, but I will always correct Golkar leaders and members if they step out of the line.