News, Articles & Reviews

Jakarta: Vice President Jusuf Kalla requested media in Indonesia to exercise more self control as it bear responsibilities to the constitution and the regulation. Kalla stated his request in a seminar organized by the Press Council in Jakarta on Thursday to mark the ninth year of press freedom in Indonesia.

In a seminar attended by senior media figures Kalla also said national media have spread hatred and violence indicated by the widening violence in several regions.

Chairman of the Press Council Ichlasul Amal noted the growing freedom ofthe press in the country is not followed by improvements of competency showed by growing public complaints on media reporting, a view also shared by senior Kompas journalist, Rikard Bagun.

Rikard said the press should maintain its main functions to educate and control the public in providing information and entertainment and should never lose ethics in reporting.

Indonesian press grabbed its freedom in 1998 after the collapsed of 32 year military regime led by Soeharto.

Member of the press council Leo Batubara focused on the threats of returning authoritarian from the government as more regulations were being introduced to criminalize and curb journalists in performing their job.

Source