SBY urges press to voice optimism

Yuliasri Perdani, The Jakarta Post, Manado | National | Mon, February 11 2013, 8:45 PM

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Monday that the press should report more news that raised the spirit of nationalism instead of news that only criticized the government.

“We hope that the press can voice two crucial matters. First, the press has a moral obligation to criticize and monitor the work of the government. The press also has a crucial role to cultivate a sense of optimism among people in the country,” said the President during the commemoration of National Press Day in Manado, North Sulawesi.

Yudhoyono said he had monitored criticism by the press about corruption within the government and the weak bureaucratic system as well as unresponsiveness of the country’s security agencies in addressing conflict.

Nevertheless, the President said, he also expected the media to write reports on the nation’s achievements.

“Sometimes we are not generous enough to do that. In the midst of the current global economic crisis, we have succeeded in achieving vibrant economic growth that is the second-highest in the world after that of China. However, we [the press] has reported that our economy is stagnant or in decline,” he said.

During the event, Yudhoyono inaugurated the Mendur Brothers Monument and Museum, which were built to honor Alex and Frans Mendur. They took the only picture of Sukarno and Hatta when the founding fathers declared Indonesia’s independence on Aug.17, 1945.

More than 1,200 media executives, journalists and government officials from throughout the country attended the National Press Day event.

Coordinating People’s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono and Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring, outgoing Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD, Indonesian Press Council chief Bagir Manan and North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Harry Sarundaja also attended the event.(ebf)