Susilo courts media as popularity wanes
Susilo courts media as popularity wanes
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
After declaring that his declining popularity did not really
matter to him, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono invited two
chief editors to his office for talks on two separate occasions
on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
Later on Friday, surrounded by television cameras but off-
limits to reporters, the President conversed with Vice President
Jusuf Kalla in a gazebo in the garden outside the presidential
office.
No official statement followed the unusual meeting, which was
originally scheduled to take place inside Susilo's office. Kalla
was headed for his boss' office when he was informed about the
change of venue.
Only last week, while opening the Indonesian Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (Kadin) executive meeting at the State
Palace, the President gave a cold response to criticism of his
performance after 100 days in office.
Critics, supported by surveys, said that Susilo's popularity
was waning, apparently due to his failure to live up to the
public's expectations for reform.
The President held talks on Thursday evening with Margiono,
the chief editor of Rakyat Merdeka daily.
The substance of the discussion was not revealed.
Jakob Oetama and Suryopratomo, the founder and chief editor of
Kompas newspaper respectively, had their turn to meet Susilo on
Friday.
Kompas is the country's leading newspaper and has expanded its
media industry to radio and television.
Suryopratomo said after the meeting that the President had
underlined his appreciation of the national press, which he
recognized as the fourth pillar of democracy.
"It is now how the press carries out its duties as a critic
and correction medium. He said that he is not allergic (to
criticism) as long as the critics can provide facts and tap input
from many sides," he said after the talk.
Suryopratomo initially said he and Jakob had just reported to
the President about the daily's 40th anniversary celebration in
June, which will be marked by a concert.
They also informed the President about the Kompas Gramedia
Group's plan to launch an Indonesian version of National
Geographic magazine in April.
Suryopratomo said he had not invited the President to the
events during the meeting.
He revealed that Susilo had invited him to the meeting after
they met during a talk show last week. The President expressed
interest in the media group's plan to publish the National
Geographic magazine, Surypopratomo added.
Last month, Susilo assigned a team led by State Minister of
Communications and Information Sofyan Djalil to visit the offices
of the two newspapers to convey his displeasure at the
publication of several articles in the papers on post-tsunami
relief work that the President deemed opinionated.
Sofyan's office was recently upgraded to a portfolio ministry,
which enables it to allocate media frequencies. He
dismissed fears that the new ministry would emulate the
information ministry during the New Order, which banned a number
of publications, including Kompas.
The government lost its right to revoke media licenses after
the downfall of the New Order regime in 1998.