What press freedom means

Minister of Information Yunus Yosfiah has promised to return what the Soeharto regime stole from the national press: its freedom.

The statement, which is in line with the promised political reform, brings with it a new horizon for the national press after decades of structural darkness.

While the government still has to elaborate on the new policy, we sincerely hope it means the revocation of all laws and regulations which curtail all basic freedoms, and at the same time offers no loopholes to the authorities to repeat the shameful history of press bans. In the past, even the Indonesian Journalist Association pushed the press into a corner.

Since press freedom is inseparable from other freedoms, such as freedom of expression; of association; from fear; and freedom to dissent, the government should also guarantee the freedom of the legislative and judicial branches from administration influence. This nation suffered beyond words during the oppressive regime of president Soeharto, which only tolerated a "don't-touch-the-regime" type of journalism during the last 24 years of his 32-year rule.

So when freedom does eventually return, we would be unsurprised to see the national press befogged by the new situation, just like a person coming out of a dark cave to be blinded by the bright sun.

Even today, with a touch of freedom felt, editors still look stunned at unchecked outspokenness, as if the sword of Democles hangs over their heads. The picture is more than understandable because they have lived under the threat of press bans for too long, ever since a newspaper was tyrannically banned in 1974, after a brief honeymoon with democracy.

The experience turns even more painful when one remembers how editors in 1978 were forced to sign a pledge stating that they would never criticize the first family. This was in order to have their revoked publishing licenses reinstated. The muzzling of the press was then used to the advantage of the ruling elite, in that it felt free to practice nepotism, cronyism and corruption.

It is now a national responsibility to avoid a reoccurrence of such a calamity by helping to advocate democracy. The press has to play a pivotal role in this because it is a common phenomenon in undemocratic countries that governments are still confused as where to place the mass media in the system.

Here the authorities need not worry about press freedom because the existing Criminal Code is enough to protect all parties who find themselves discredited by media reports.

On the other hand, the press should make itself a credible institution, avoid sensationalizing news and sticking to its Code of Ethics. As an institution operating in a developing country, it should also help educate people by speaking the truth and refusing half truths from officials.

To boost the press' social responsibility, society has also a role to play. It should set up an independent and active body to supervise the quality of the press.

After years of nightmarish experiences, we believe the national press has matured and will be able to perform its constitutional right with integrity.