MEDIA-INDONESIA: Cleaning up Corruption a Tricky Task

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Richel Dursin

JAKARTA, Nov 3 2000 (IPS) - Some Indonesian journalists are trying hard to wipe out the practice of “envelope journalism” or receiving cash or gifts from news sources — and finding out that it will be a slow, difficult journey.

Many agree that this habit has its beginnings in the Suharto- era tradition of corruption, collusion, and nepotism.

“After the resignation of former President Suharto, it is very difficult to break the envelope culture in Indonesia because it has strong roots,” says Dwi Iswandono of the Alliance of Independent Journalists, locally known with its acronym AJI.

“Envelope journalism has become part of culture. It is no longer considered media bribery, but it is commonly regarded as a means to maintain good relations with the press,” says Herman Hakim, a member of the board of editors of the English-language daily ‘The Indonesian Observer’.

Tedjabayu, journalism training coordinator of the Jakarta-based Institute for the Studies on Free Flow of Information (ISAI), concurs with Iswandono and Hakim.

He says many journalists “cannot avoid this kind of bribery because if they do not accept envelopes they would be considered as unfriendly to their fellow journalists.”

AJI, established in August 1994 against the state’s control on media, has embarked on a public campaign against envelope journalism.

“Envelope journalism” refers to the practice of journalists receiving gifts or payment before writing a story that is deemed favourable to the givers.

To reporters who it knows receive “gifts” from their sources and the public relations sections of private and government offices, AJI sends them postcards and shirts with messages such as “envelope journalism is an enemy of the media”.

However, the postcards and shirts are usually returned to AJI with offensive comments on them.

Likewise, when a member of Indonesia’s Association of Television Journalists proposed a ban on receiving gifts or cash, about 90 percent of the association members rejected it.

“Most journalists become upset because of our campaign. They laugh at us. They call us heroes who woke up late,” Iswandono says.

When an AJI member once wore a shirt with the printed message ‘giving money for the sake of news conspiracy is evil’ at the House of Representatives building, journalists who had long been covering the beat became angry at him.

“If I want to receive envelopes, it’s my own business. Why should AJI meddle in it?” says one senior journalist.

AJI says it finds it easier to convince young journalists, mostly campus activists, not to resort to envelope journalism, commonly known here as ‘jurnalisme amplop’.

While AJI’s campaign has been lauded by some, it also raises the issue of what methods to use to combat corruption in media.

“AJI should not put the blame on journalists, but on the political culture developed by Suharto. During his time, Suharto bribed journalists to achieve his goals,” says Hakim of the ‘Observer’, which like other media has no clear policy on envelope journalism.

“We cannot go against the tide because it is too powerful. We just close our eyes and do not talk about it,” says Hakim, who has been working in media for almost 24 years.

“I don’t think shaming the media will eradicate envelope journalism in Indonesia because it is part of the system. What we have to do is to make envelope journalism a national issue and stress on moral values,” adds Tedjabayu.

“The problem with Indonesian journalists is that their background on journalism is mostly on the technical aspect, not on values,” Hakim explains.

Terms used by Indonesians to refer to envelope journalism include ‘Wartawan Tanpa Suratkabar’ or ‘a journalist without a newspaper’. ‘Muntaber’ or ‘Muncul Tanpa Berita’ refers to showing up at a press conference but not writing a story, and ‘Wartawan Gadungan’ means a fake journalist.

“In Indonesia there is a tradition that if there is a press conference, the organiser will give money to the journalists. So, you just attend a press conference and you can get money,” says Solahuddin, advocacy coordinator of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) Jakarta office.

Many public relations officers also think that maintaining good relations with journalists by giving them money is better than putting out advertisements.

Owners of businesses resort to handing out sums at press conferences. In October last year during a regional seminar on forest fires, organisers had to shell out 50,000 rupiah (6.25 dollars) to journalists who asked for “transportation cost”.

Depending on how big the event is, journalists receive money from as low as 50,000 to one million rupiah (6.25 to 125 dollars).

“Non-governmental organisations cannot even use the media as their trumpet to advocate their problems because they do not have enough money to pay journalists,” Tedjabayu points out.

Eighty to 90 percent of 15,000 journalists across Indonesia are “envelope journalists” though they are aware of the code of ethics prohibiting them from accepting bribes, according to AJI.

“That is true because envelope journalism is culturally developed in Indonesia,” Hakim says. “I agree with the figure because envelope journalism is common in Indonesia,” Tedjabayu says.

A key reason for the prevalence of envelope journalism is the low pay of journalists, many of whom get salaries below the regional minimum wage.

“After Suharto’s fall, there were a lot of new media, but because of the prolonged economic downturn, it is impossible that journalists will be paid well,” according to Iswandono.

Some newspapers in fact do not pay their journalists. Instead, they give them press cards because by wearing cards, the reporters can receive a bigger amount of money. “With press cards, they are projected to look for a salary of their own,” says AJI secretary- general Didik Supriyanto.

Envelope journalism highlights the challenges media faces after political restrictions were lifted after Suharto’s ouster.

There is no influential press council that will give punishment or penalties to those who violate media ethics.

Likewise, the mushrooming of newspapers, tabloids and magazines has meant that many outfits have had to hire writers who often are not trained in the profession and have no experience or knowledge about media work at all.

“The Indonesian media have to learn how to follow press ethics and use journalistic standards,” says Atmakusumah Astraatmadja of Dr Soetomo Press Institute and recipient of this year’s Ramon Magsaysay award for journalism, literature, and communication arts.

“Indonesian media is driven to the interests of politicians and big businessmen, who take advantage of the weak position of the journalists because of their low salary,” Iswandono says.

AJI is proposing the standardisation of the salaries of journalists and the formation of writers’ trade unions.

“Professionalism may not grow among journalists and media workers if not supported by reasonable salaries. Without professionalism, it is impossible for journalists and media to stand independent,” argues Supriyanto.

“If the journalists and media do not stand independent, press freedom can be a disaster for the public,” he adds.