Welcome to the Republic of Dreams

By Akhmad Kusaeni

"If you open that Pandora`s Box, you never know what Trojan horses will jump out". (Ernest Bevin, 1881-1951)

What Ernest Bevin, the British statesman, has said above was true to illustrate the current situation of press freedom in Indonesia. Indonesian press is now like a wild horse coming out from its den.

Joseph Kirschke of Pacific Media Watch described Indonesia`s news outlets as "free-wheeling", particularly when compared to those in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. "Print it, and be damned!" said media expert Tjipta Lesmana describing the latest situation of press freedom in Indonesia.

Some media in the country think that they have absolute freedom to write and report everything that "fits to print". They print libelous statements, false reports, misleading facts and opinions related to character assassination.Such similar things happen in broadcasting media.

"Broadcast it, and be damned!" has become a new trend of television shows in Indonesia. Watch the satirical political TV Show "Republik Mimpi" (Republic of Dreams) at the Metro TV station every Sunday night.

The soundtrack of the talk show -- "We Welcome You to The Republic of Dreams"-- is now very popular among the viewers. The show makes fun the leaders of this country. It parodies the current and former presidents and government officials. The actors, who impersonate the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former President Megawati and B.J. Habibie, criticized the government`s policies and attitude through their jokes.

Information and Communication Minister Sofyan Djalil accused the show of providing a "negative political education". He said it humiliates government institutions and Indonesian leaders. According to Sofyan, the president, who symbolizes the country`s authority, must be respected.

He is considering filing a complaint with the Broadcasting Commission over Republic of Dreams.The Republic of Dreams is a manifestation of current conflict between the press and government relations in Indonesia. It is a test of the statesmanship of the government`s official. If the government insists on acting against the show, then the government`s reputation will certainly be at stake. The more it attacks its critics, the further it move back to the repressive Soeharto era.Up and down The degree of press freedom in Indonesia has gone up and down, in tandem with the political climate.

Everyone would agree that the press freedom during Soeharto government was bad. Three publications, for example, were banned in June 1994 (Tempo, Detik and Editor) and journalists have been intimidated, even killed like Udin case in Yogyakarta. Soeharto regime maintains that journalists must be silenced, because freedom will result in anarchy, conflict and instability.

The press in Soeharto era is rarely an agenda setter in the sense of independently raised and pursued issues; it is much more an "agenda fitter," merely providing information about the activities of government officials who really set the agenda."You may report, but I make the news" is what the government`s officials always say to the reporters.Almost 80 percent sources of the news appearing in the media were from the government institutions or government officials.

During Soeharto regime, reporters wrote their news and stories started with the "who lead", such as President said?, Minister said?, Governor said?, and even Chief District said? "Development journalism" was popular during the New Order regime where journalist expected to write only the bright and positive side of government.

Those journalists who dare to criticize the government and its officials had a risk to be jailed or killed.After the downfall of Soeharto in May 1998, Indonesian media began enjoying its freedom. Press Law No.40/1999 stated, "Freedom of the Press is guaranteed as a basic right of citizens". No more censorship. No need licenses to publish newspapers. The government has no right to ban publications or close down newspapers.

Before 1998, headlines in newspapers were full with "official news" and government activities. After 1998, those headlines had changed to the dominance of critical news against the government and its officials. News sources had also been changed from officials" dominance to the public dominance. From the government heavy changed to the public heavy stories. From the developmental journalism to the public journalism.

The press is very critical to the government, including the president.Wimar Witoelar, in his reflections as a presidential spokesman, writes that President Abdurrahman Wahid was a victim of the media. It was a hot and cold relationship; in fact much praise has been given to Wahid for his intellectual and vision.

But in the day-to-day political press, most Indonesian press joined the lynch mob against President Wahid.According to Witoelar, people like Korean Prime Minister Kim Dae-Jung cautioned President Wahid against the media as they were often unsupportive to the reform agenda of change makers.

Many publications in Indonesia had clear lines to the protectors of the corrupt Indonesia?s public structure. Yet Wahid never even contemplated closing the lid on the press. In a few isolated instances he would talk about suing some newspapers for outright false information. But it would still framed as a legal lawsuit without using the pressure of presidential power. Even then these lawsuits never came into being.As public person, Wahid has been close to the press throughout his adult life, but he received very bad treatment from the media throughout his presidency.

The Indonesian media is in a state of flux and captivated by the euphoria of a free press. President Megawati Soekarnoputri felt that she was also a victim of the ?over free media?. She filled a legal lawsuit againts Rakyat Merdeka daily. Rakyat Merdeka wrote an article with the controversial title that triggers ethical issue. The title was ?Megawati is More Dangerous than Sumanto?. Sumanto is a cannibal who eats the corpses.

Rakyat Merdeka also had been insulted the former President with the story: ?Megawati?s capacity like a district leader, not a president?. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is now thinking to sue the producer of television talk show ?Republic of Dreams?. The show makes fun of him and former presidents. Is Indonesian press better off now than under Soeharto regime? ?

We now have press freedom, but press ethics have become an oxymoron in post Soeharto Indonesia,? said Lukas Luwarso, a media freedom activist.When Soeharto resigned there were only 284 press publications in Indonesia. In just one year after his resignation, emerged 1.138 new publications, 641 of them were tabloids. Many of the tabloids focus on sex and scandal.Imbalance, opinionated news and a lack of professionalism continue to plague journalism in Indonesia in the post-Soeharto era. The Press Council stated that less than 10 percent of the Indonesian reporters work with integrity.

Former Press Council chairman Atmakusumah Astraatmadja said many of the more than 10.000 journalists currently working in the country are untrained and uninterested in ethics. "We are free now, why we should need ethics" said RH Siregar, former Secretary General of Press Council quoting reporter question to him in a seminar. As I mentioned earlier, Indonesian press is now like a wild horse come out from its den. Joseph Kirschke of Pacific Media Watch described Indonesia?s news outlets as ?free-wheeling?, particularly when compared to those in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Some media practitioners even believe that ethics is only constrained and limitation for their freedom. So, for the sake of freedom of the press, they put code of ethics in the iron box of history. "Print it, and be damned!" said media expert Tjipta Lesmana describing the latest situation of press freedom in Indonesia.

Some media in the country think that they have absolute freedom to write and report everything that "fits to print". They print libelous statements, false reports, misleading facts and opinions related to character assassination.At least 14 cases of defamation have reached the courts since last year.

One case involved the editor of Rakyat Merdeka daily and they lost their case to President Megawati Soekarnoputri. The departure of Suharto`s authoritarian regime have been replaced by a more open and democratic yet weak government, and the strengthening civil society. One might expects that a strong and vibrant civil society strengthens and enhances democracy.

However, the strengthening of civil society has negative impacts on the quality of press freedom in the country.Euphoria of freedom may not last for long. While government`s restrictions are not as suffocating as they were during the 32-year-long Soeharto reign, media activists say that the free press is in peril. There is a new enemy at the gate: the public outcry of bad practices of journalism in certain media. Not all media are bad, of course.

Several newspapers have very long history of practicing "good journalism" and maintain their credibility to the readers.But there is a tendency that news organizations and journalists today find themselves in a challenging situation as they have become subject to violent attacks and legal action from individuals, officials and business corporations. "During the Soeharto era, the greatest threat to the press in Indonesia came from the regime. Today, it is coming from different sources: The public," said law expert Nono Anwar Makarim.So, watch out! If you open that Pandora`s Box, you never know what Trojan horses will jump out. (*)
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