In clear and present danger
Sheila S CoronelPublished: May 10, 2001 3:41 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Susanto Pudjamonto, editor of the Jakarta Post, is worried. Just over a year after the fall of Suharto, the long-reigning Indonesian president, and the restoration of a free press in May 1998, new problems are threatening the freedom and safety of journalists.
"It is no longer the law nor the authorities that are considered the biggest threat by the Indonesian media," Pudjamonto said in a forum on access to information held in Jakarta on Feb 10.
"The Big Brother who used to carry a big stick and was always ready to bludgeon the press whenever it made mistakes has gone. The clear and present danger is in the form of people who could turn hostile if their protest against a certain press report is not immediately addressed to their satisfaction, either by correcting the 'mistakes' or making a public apology."
But the threat of unruly mobs descending on newspaper or television offices is not the only problem faced by Indonesian journalists. As in the Philippines, the refusal of Indonesian officials to disclose information and the lack of professional competence hinder the ability of the press to act as an effective watchdog.
Journalists gathered at the forum, organised by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa) and the Philippine Centre for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), found common threads in the experiences of newly democratic press systems in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.
In these countries, the combination of uncooperative officials and unskilled journalists mean that the press is not able to make full use of its freedoms to be able to adequately inform citizens.
"Freedom alone does not guarantee excellence and professional competence," said Melinda de Jesus, executive director of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. She said that the Philippine experience shows that a free press does not necessarily strengthen democracy and can even exacerbate social inequities.
In Thailand, where an Information Act came into effect two years ago, journalists have not taken advantage of the promise of official disclosure, said Kavi Chongkittavorn, executive editor of The Nation and chairman of Seapa.
In addition, political interference, a lack of understanding of the act, and the "culture of secrecy" that has reigned in government for so long remain obstacles to information access. Some government agencies, however, have made a real effort to be more transparent, and over all, the reforms that have taken place since 1997 point toward the establishment of a more open and transparent society.
In Malaysia and Singapore, however, where a free press is not yet a reality, citizens suffer from draconian media laws and strict controls on free expression. In these countries, self-censorship is the norm. In Malaysia, where a movement for reforms took off after the 1998 arrest of Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the mainstream press remains obedient and unquestioning.
"There is no such thing as independent journalism in Malaysia," said Steven Gan, editor of malaysiakini, an independent web-based newspaper. The real dissent is taking place online, and although the government is watching the Internet closely, there is still virtual freedom in cyberspace.
In contrast, in Singapore, said James Gomez, author of a new book, "Self-Censorship: Singapore's Shame", citizens are averse to risk, and despite some liberalisation in culture and the arts, Singaporeans have lost the instinct to ask questions and to speak freely.
"We have to break out of a psychological barrier," said Gomez, who has braved official restrictions to organised forums and discussions on political issues, long considered taboo in the island-state.
The Jakarta forum is part of a 15-month joint PCIJ-Seapa project that will assess the state of information access in Southeast Asia. In March 2001, a book comparing the laws and practice of information access in eight Southeast Asian countries will be published.
SHEILA S CORONEL is executive director of the Philippine Centre for Investigative Journalism and a member of the board of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance. Seapa is a sponsor of malaysiakini.
"It is no longer the law nor the authorities that are considered the biggest threat by the Indonesian media," Pudjamonto said in a forum on access to information held in Jakarta on Feb 10.
"The Big Brother who used to carry a big stick and was always ready to bludgeon the press whenever it made mistakes has gone. The clear and present danger is in the form of people who could turn hostile if their protest against a certain press report is not immediately addressed to their satisfaction, either by correcting the 'mistakes' or making a public apology."
But the threat of unruly mobs descending on newspaper or television offices is not the only problem faced by Indonesian journalists. As in the Philippines, the refusal of Indonesian officials to disclose information and the lack of professional competence hinder the ability of the press to act as an effective watchdog.
Journalists gathered at the forum, organised by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa) and the Philippine Centre for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), found common threads in the experiences of newly democratic press systems in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.
In these countries, the combination of uncooperative officials and unskilled journalists mean that the press is not able to make full use of its freedoms to be able to adequately inform citizens.
"Freedom alone does not guarantee excellence and professional competence," said Melinda de Jesus, executive director of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. She said that the Philippine experience shows that a free press does not necessarily strengthen democracy and can even exacerbate social inequities.
In Thailand, where an Information Act came into effect two years ago, journalists have not taken advantage of the promise of official disclosure, said Kavi Chongkittavorn, executive editor of The Nation and chairman of Seapa.
In addition, political interference, a lack of understanding of the act, and the "culture of secrecy" that has reigned in government for so long remain obstacles to information access. Some government agencies, however, have made a real effort to be more transparent, and over all, the reforms that have taken place since 1997 point toward the establishment of a more open and transparent society.
In Malaysia and Singapore, however, where a free press is not yet a reality, citizens suffer from draconian media laws and strict controls on free expression. In these countries, self-censorship is the norm. In Malaysia, where a movement for reforms took off after the 1998 arrest of Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the mainstream press remains obedient and unquestioning.
"There is no such thing as independent journalism in Malaysia," said Steven Gan, editor of malaysiakini, an independent web-based newspaper. The real dissent is taking place online, and although the government is watching the Internet closely, there is still virtual freedom in cyberspace.
In contrast, in Singapore, said James Gomez, author of a new book, "Self-Censorship: Singapore's Shame", citizens are averse to risk, and despite some liberalisation in culture and the arts, Singaporeans have lost the instinct to ask questions and to speak freely.
"We have to break out of a psychological barrier," said Gomez, who has braved official restrictions to organised forums and discussions on political issues, long considered taboo in the island-state.
The Jakarta forum is part of a 15-month joint PCIJ-Seapa project that will assess the state of information access in Southeast Asia. In March 2001, a book comparing the laws and practice of information access in eight Southeast Asian countries will be published.
SHEILA S CORONEL is executive director of the Philippine Centre for Investigative Journalism and a member of the board of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance. Seapa is a sponsor of malaysiakini.
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