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resident Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo has called on the Indonesian press to maintain its objectivity and remain critical in their reporting amid concerns over challenges the media is currently facing, which could lead to the dissemination of unreliable news sources to the public.

The President made his remarks at an event held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Kompas, one of the country'€™s leading Indonesian-language dailies.

During the event, which was held on Sunday at Bentara Budaya Jakarta, Jokowi applauded Kompas, saying that the newspaper had been able to maintain objectivity in its daily reporting, in addition to being critical in its analysis of the nation'€™s various issues.

'€œKompas is not just objective, but also critical. This is not an easy task. But Kompas has been playing such a role for years,'€ the President remarked during the commemorative event.

Jokowi said that while it was not so easy for the press to maintain objectivity, it was also challenging for them to criticize the nation in a constructive manner and provide solutions for the country'€™s ample problems.

'€œMuch of the media keep on criticizing the government, but without giving possible solutions,'€ the President said.

Also present at the event were Vice President Jusuf Kalla and his expert team chief Sofyan Wanandi, Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel, Kompas founder Jacob Oetama, Kompas Gramedia CEO Agung Adi Prasetyo and Kompas chief editor Budiman Tanuredjo.

Jacob expressed his appreciation for the government for its ongoing efforts to maintain press freedom in the country.

'€œWe are grateful for the government, which has provided chances for Kompas to keep on providing news for the public,'€ he said.

Jacob expected that in the future, Kompas would be able to overcome its growing challenges. '€œThe challenge is to keep on striving in the midst of a multimedia, multichannel and multiplatform era,'€ he said.

Earlier in February, during National Press Day, the Press Council warned that the Indonesian press was currently facing problems rooted in partisanship, media owners'€™ involvement in politics and phony media.

'€œThe press is experiencing many problems. In a democracy, the press should side with the public, not with political powers. The press has become partisan,'€ council chairman Bagir Manan said.

Bagir said that the media was also facing problems with media owners aligning themselves with certain political powers. He said that capital owners no longer used press institutions for economic reasons, but to create political power.

Bagir said further that the press should not tolerate fake media, adding that fake media existed as a result of weak law enforcement.

He expected that the Indonesian press of the future would be better than it was in the past. (alm)
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It is challenging to criticize in constructive manner and provide solutions.