In February 1997, President Suharto made a speech in front of Indonesia’s top editors and media executives in a State Palace ceremony to commemorate the “National Press Day” in Jakarta.
According to media reports, the state-sanctioned Persatuan Wartawan Indonesia, or the Indonesian Journalists Association, organized the event and invited Suharto to deliver the keynote address.
“If there are values, that are against ours, succeeded in penetrating (our society), the press should increase national awareness about their danger and show ways how to end them,” said Suharto. He talked at length about what he called “Pancasila journalism.”
What the media didn’t relate was that three years earlier, Suharto had ordered the closure of three news weeklies: Detik, Editor and Tempo. Suharto also jailed some journalists protesting the closure. He won many street protests and international condemnation. But the PWI issued a statement, saying that it “understood” the banning rationale. A PWI executive also blacklisted 13 journalists, who signed a declaration to establish an independent journalist union.
As if trying to lick the ass of the dictator, PWI executives asked Suharto to lecture the media executives on the “National Press Day.” Suharto happily asked the media to impose self-censorship, saying that the media should filter “foreign values” and enhance “national awareness.”
But Suharto was at the end of his rule. The Asian economic crisis hit Indonesia five months later. In May 1998, Suharto was forced to step down from his 32-year dictatorship amidst massive street protests and spiraling rupiahs.
Now let’s move forward to February 2008. A new president was also invited to deliver a keynote speech at the same “National Press Day,” by the same journalists association: the PWI. This time, the commemoration was held in Semarang.
Suharto is already dead in his mausoleum in Solo. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also an (retired) army general and a former aide to Suharto, is now the president.
In his speech, President Yudhoyono asked the media to exercise “self-censorship,” saying that it should be improved by only reporting “appropriate” news.
“Bans and (state) censorship of the press no longer exist in our country. The press has achieved the freedom it fought for, but the freedom is not absolute,” he told some 500 top editors.
“It is the press that should control itself for the good of the nation. The people want the press to provide accurate and objective information,” Yudhoyono said.
He criticized some media. “They only think of practical interests. Please don’t be like that. Don’t be too partisan because the word ‘too’ is clearly not good.” He added the media should maintain its independence by not getting involved in business or political interests.
Interestingly, Tarman Azzam, the PWI president who hosted Yudhoyono, is also a politician. Azzam is a Golkar legislator. In 1994, Azzam was also the PWI executive who blacklisted the 13 journalists and asked the police to jail three reporters.
Probably both Yudhoyono and the editors should learn from Bill Moyers, a New York television host, who said that what’s important for journalists is not how close they are to power but how close they are to reality. As long as journalists and politicians don’t practice that, I’m afraid, history will repeat itself.
No wonder, even Indonesians have distrusted their national press. Btw, Mr Harsono, thank you for your role in tha dark age of Indonesian press. Ummm, until now? :)
Dear Koen,
I am afraid to say that I partly blame my fellow journalists. In Indonesia, journalists have very little tradition to stay independent from power. We like to be closer to those in power than to reality, meaning that journalists like to be close to politicians, generals and business leaders rather than listening to real people on the streets. Suharto, Yudhoyono and many others, indeed, won’t let “opportunities” to exploit journalists escape from their agendas.
I just want to say how grateful I am for knowing a person like you. Thanks for your activism and thanks for keep changing the world for the better.
I’m very flattered to be given this statement. I might bore people with what I write. I hope one day our paths will cross.
well, I think the problem is, that the press itself sometimes only reporting “un-important” issue, and sometimes they “blow-up” the news.
and the press i think should be more balance to presenting their news..not only follow the market only..and that was happen with indonesian press..
sorry. bad english.
Sir
Please forgive this methof of contact
I am currently writing a thesis for my Masters, this relates to piracy in S.E. Asia. The premise of the project relates to social (crime, welfare, illegal fishing, corruption) & the geopolitical constructs of marine crime and the focus potentially relates to the vying of world powers over control of trade routes, the role of ASEAN, US, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Country Soveriegnty etc
In argument my research is based on the function that piracy is not as much as an issue for Indonesia as for example illegal fishing, LNG trade while that the number of incidents in the region and the value of loss does not warrant such a focus and debate as is regularly noted in both press and intellectual papers. Further that the focus in support of prevention methods need to influence the social economical stability of the S.E.A region specifically in Indonesia. That pressure for ratification of ASEAN Charters and country initiatives will not be achieved unless support is recognised that illegal fishing and other crime poses more pressing problems for Indonesia.
I have read your Nationalism and Sea Piracy Article (2006) with interest. I am currently staying in Batam (working) while also researching my thesis. I would welcome any advice you could provide in relation to my thesis as well as consider providing me with details of contacts in Batam (or other) who I could contact considering:
1. Marine Crime
2. Marine Authority involement etc
3. Illegal Fishing
4. Social Impact and Economic development (correlation)
My email address is pjkab@hotmail.com
I look forward to hearing from you
Regards
Paul
cool..
i just realize that, i guess now we need more people like you so the info that we get as a citizen can be balance, and then it would be our own decision to make the option.