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Press have 'democratic' duty to eradicate corruption: Najwa Shihab
Award-winning journalist Najwa Shihab has called on the press to play a greater role in eradicating corruption by producing more investigative reports.
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Makassar-born journalist Najwa Shihab giving 'Pidato Kebudayaan' (Cultural Speech) at Makassar International Writers Festival. (JP/File)
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ward-winning journalist Najwa Shihab has called on the press to play a greater role in eradicating corruption by producing more investigative reports.
“This year’s Makassar International Writers Festival [MIWF] coincided with the 20th anniversary of reformation. Changes have indeed happened in various parts; we get to enjoy freedom that we once lost during the New Order. But some things have remained the same, if not getting worse, with corruption as the highlight,” the Makassar-born journalist said on Thursday during the “Pidato Kebudayaan” (Cultural Speech) segment of the MIWF.
The segment was held on the grounds of Fort Rotterdam in Makassar, South Sulawesi and coincided with World Press Freedom Day, which fell on May 3.
“I think many wouldn’t mind if we said corruption is increasing instead of decreasing. Today, we see how democracy and corruption are supporting one another. [How] democracy is giving birth to new corruptors and vice versa; it’s like they need each other," she continued.
"We can easily watch corruptors on television, one even nonchalantly created the absurd scenario of crashing into an electricity pole and a hospital telenovela as if all the people of Indonesia were dumb buffalos that could be easily fooled,” said Najwa, which was followed by loud applause from the mostly young audience.
Read also: EDITORIAL: For a credible press
“The imagined reform, like imagined independence, has been destroyed by the corruption plague. This is the point where the press should be able to play a role. When democracy is being hacked by corrupt behavior, the press are in danger.
"Press freedom is the post-1998 impact of strengthening this country’s democratization. The press owe it to the democratic process and the debt must be paid by being actively involved in maintaining democracy, and actively fighting against corruption is a form of its responsibility to democracy,” said Najwa, who has 18 years of experience as a TV presenter and anchor.
She then questioned whether the agenda of corruption eradication was considered the priority agenda among the top newsroom editors.
“One of the simplest indicators is how many investigative reports our press publish,” said Najwa. She added that covering corruption was no easy task, typically not cheap and definitely took longer, as it was not only a massive crime but also structured and involved many institutions as well as influential and powerful people.
“Always reporting snapshots could end up making the public even more skeptical. The daily news coverage of officials or politicians getting arrested will only cause satiation, cynicism and, most dangerously, eroded trust in democracy,” she said.
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Editor's note:
The first paragraph in this article has been corrected.
