[nasional_list] [ppiindia] How free is Indonesian press?
- From: "Ambon" <sea@xxxxxxxxxx>
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- Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2005 21:34:46 +0100
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How free is Indonesian press?
Ong Hock Chuan, Jakarta
The 2005 Worldwide Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters without Borders
late last week, is puzzling.
Why is the press in Indonesia less free than its counterparts in Timor Leste
and Cambodia; and why is Indonesia only two notches up from Thailand, whose
government is going all out to curb the freedom of the press?
Details of how Reporters without Borders arrived at such conclusions are
sketchy, but, according to news reports, Indonesia seems to have been judged
according to several criteria, namely the extent to which it allows foreign
journalists to report in conflict-prone areas, such as Aceh and Papua, the
activity of online media, some provisions of the Criminal Code and the
tardiness of the police's response and protection of journalists being
intimidated by local politicians.
To be sure, these developments do contribute to securing press freedom in a
country. But one cannot help questioning whether the weight given to such
developments is fair to countries like Indonesia. Based on the reported
criteria, what Indonesia seems to face are difficult decisions over areas with
insurgent and security problems, a nascent legislature and loose command
structures that sometimes see local chiefs not acting, or acting overzealously
over particular incidents.
Do these criteria provide an accurate snapshot of the state of press freedom in
the country? Journalists who have worked in domestic media in countries where
the press is controlled would argue that the main determinant of press freedom
in Asia lies with the government's attitude, and therefore its actions, or
non-actions, toward the press.
Governments who hold the press in contempt have a variety of means to curtail
its freedom, the most effective of which is to create a culture of
self-censorship among the press, especially among the local journalists who are
subject to their jurisdiction and often have nowhere else to run away to.
Intimidation is the key to creating a culture of self-censorship. Through
repressive and all-encompassing laws such as the Internal Security Act,
governments can and have thrown critical journalists into jail without trial.
Laws such as the Internal Security Act, coupled with control of the licenses
that enable publications to stay open, make the governments all powerful.
Often, all it takes is a phone call to an editor expressing mild
dissatisfaction with a report or a journalist to have the publication make a
180-degree turn, issue a detraction or desist from pursuing the story.
The law can also be used to intimidate journalists. Government ministers, their
cronies or businesses strongly linked to them can use the vast financial and
manpower resources to bear on journalists. The amounts they seek are punitive.
Even if they do not win the case they can be assured of putting the offending
journalist and their publication through the wringer, eating up huge amounts of
their time and finances. What is happening in Thailand is a case in point.
Not all control relies on the stick, however. Carrots are part of the arsenal
of press control for some governments. Carrots come in the form of junkets
(good journalists get to go on trips accompanying the premiers, maverick ones
do not), titles (Malaysia is particularly good at this, awarding some
journalists with not one but two Datuk-ships. A Datuk being a honorary title,
something akin to Sir in the British system) and appointments (a neighboring
country makes sure that only journalists who toe the line are appointed to key
executive positions in the nation's media organizations).
When successful, these governments create a culture of self-censorship in the
media, a useful situation as the governments seemingly do very little, leaving
the intimidated editors to censor their own journalists. When this happens
press freedom is lost, not because of overtly repressive or violent measures
but because the spirit of the journalists are broken.
Fortunately, the Indonesian government has chosen to take a different tack.
Over the past year, the government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has chosen to
give the press free reign. Journalists and commentators are free to criticize
almost anybody, including the President himself.
And when it feels itself wronged the only measure it takes is to write to the
press requesting -- and not insisting -- that they respect the President's
right of reply. The press print this, the issue gets a fair hearing and
everyone moves on. Press freedom is not only tolerated, it is being encouraged.
Indonesia now has a press so free it can be a model for other Southeast Asian
countries in how a free press does not necessarily threaten the standing of the
government. Part of the reason is that SBY, unlike many of the region's
leaders, has no skeletons in his closet in the form of nepotism, corruption or
collusion (KKN) and that it is very evident to all and sundry that the man has
integrity and a real intention to work for the country, in spite of the vested
interests surrounding him.
These qualities stand out, even when he is criticized. His standing remains
largely undiminished, as recent polls suggest. And the spotlight eventually
turns to those around him who have performed below par.
SBYs treatment of the press, where freedom is not only tolerated but
encouraged, should surely catapult Indonesia much further up the rankings of
the World Press Freedom Index. Yet it stands at number 105, 47 notches below
Timor Leste, 14 below Cambodia and a mere two notches up from Thailand.
Whatever did the other countries do to deserve their ranking?
The writer worked for 14 years as a journalist in Malaysia, Hong Kong and
Taiwan before joining the public relation business. He was formerly a Wolfson
Press Fellow at Cambridge University.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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