United drive against RI's bad image urged

JAKARTA (JP): A senior journalist suggests that the government launch a concerted effort to counter foreign news discrediting Indonesia by, among other measures, hiring international public relations companies.

The chief editor of the state news agency Antara, Handjojo Nitimihardjo, told members of House Commission I visiting his office at Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta, yesterday that government agencies sometimes use the services of such companies to present a more favorable image of Indonesia abroad.

He cited the 18-month long Festival of the Indonesian Arts and Culture held in the United States in 1991 and 1992 as an example of campaigns to counter bad press about Indonesia.

Former foreign minister Mochtar Kusumaatmadja organized the event to introduce the diversity of Indonesia's traditional and contemporary arts and culture.

Those type of events were incidental, however, Handjojo pointed out. "We need a project exclusively dedicated to do the job," he told Commission members, who oversee information, security and political affairs.

He suggested that the project involve a number of institutions, including the ministries of foreign affairs and information.

"Hire an international public relations company, if necessary," he said, adding that the project, however, would be costly.

Handjojo pointed out that Antara has also been waging a campaign against foreign "bad news", but added, however, that its writings alone are inadequate.

"We cannot depend on such measures alone," Handjojo said.

Aminullah Ibrahim from the Armed Forces faction suggested that Antara send its news reports to Indonesia's embassies abroad to help them neutralize discrediting stories about Indonesia. He pointed out that many stories about East Timor, Indonesia's 27th province, are fabricated.

"Measures should be taken not only to provide correction, but also more information for the foreign press, which may be misinformed about -- or misunderstand -- Indonesia," Aminullah said.

Handjojo said that Antara cannot take up the campaign alone. "So far, we have done it, but it's still not enough," he said.

During the meeting, Handjojo said that Antara has also been fighting bad press on Indonesia at home by carefully selecting and editing foreign news which it distributes to its customers here.

From 1,600 foreign news reports and 250 stories produced by its own journalists every day, Antara selects and distributes up to 80 pieces only, Handjojo said.

Indonesia has two other news agencies: the state-owned Kantor Berita Nasional Indonesia (KNI) and Pers Angkatan Bersenjata (PAB), which is owned by the Armed Forces (ABRI). The KNI and PAB also select foreign news to sell to their customers.

Handjojo said that sometimes their customers demand to use unedited foreign news. However, "they cannot quote the foreign press using a Jakarta dateline," he added.

Antara, established in 1937, is currently the biggest news agency in Indonesia, with 13 bureaus abroad and 27 bureau offices in every province.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, the Information Ministry's Director General for Press and Graphics Soebrata and the State Coordinating Intelligence Board's secretary, Nurhadi Purwosaputro, are members of Antara's board of patrons. (01)