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Saudi Arabia ‘surprised’ by press freedom in Indonesia: Minister
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Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara (center) talks about developments in Indonesia during a media visit to 'The Jakarta Post' on Feb. 28. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)
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ommunications and Information Minister Rudiantara said that during a meeting with Adel Zaid Al Toraifi, Saudi Arabia’s Culture and Information Minister, the Saudi expressed surprise at the condition of the press in Indonesia.
“We talked about Saudi Arabia, a country that is reportedly getting more open to press freedom. I explained to him that after the start of the reform era, Indonesia declared the 1999 Press Law, under which there is no more press censorship from the government. He was quite surprised to hear about that,” Rudiantara said as quoted by Antara in Jakarta on Friday.
Apart from the development of press freedom, the ministers also discussed the organization of 2017 World Press Freedom Day, which will be held in Indonesia in May.
(Read also: Many MoUs to be signed during King Salman’s visit)
Rudiantara said both Indonesia and Saudi Arabia needed to take advantage of the event to strengthen their cooperation in the field of media and information.
“They [the Saudi delegates] are interested in learning from Indonesia how to manage the press,” he told journalists.
Saudi Arabia also wanted to know more about how Indonesia managed media corporations via the Press Council, he added.
“They want to learn about all of those issues so they will send a special delegation to attend World Press Freedom Day,” said Rudiantara. (mrc/ebf)
