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.