Public Information Disclosure Important to Tackle Pandemic, President Jokowi Says
President Joko Widodo delivers remarks at the 88th National Broadcasting Day celebration (1/4/2021). (Photo by: Presidential Secretariat’s Press, Media, and Information Bureau)
The need for information disclosure and information speed is pivotal amid COVID-19 pandemic so the public can have access to information about how to prevent the transmission of the virus and the Government measures in dealing with pandemic, according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
“Today we are in an era of information abundance. Everyone can quickly find information. Everyone can easily produce information. And everyone can immediately spread information. It is consequent that information abundance and information disclosure are necessity,” the President said in his remarks virtually at the 88th commemoration of the National Broadcasting Day.
For the record, it was the first commemoration after President Jokowi issued Presidential Decree Number 9/2019 on the designation of 1 April as the National Broadcasting Day.
“Alhamdulillah, with disclosure, transparency, accountability, responsibility of information and cooperation between all various parties, we can immediately improve the situation. The Government can also immediately implement appropriate policies. With good information, the public can also understand and deal with this pandemic,” the President added.
On that occasion, the Head of State also thanked the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), the Regional Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPID) and other related stakeholders for their contribution on broadcasting the accurate and actual information during the pandemic.
Through education of discipline to observe health protocols and in spreading information about various economic recovery policies, the President added, the public can be well informed about how to deal with the current pandemic situation safely and to remain productive.
Nevertheless, the challenges of broadcasting and managing information will be greater in the future, he added.
In an era of digitalization, the public will easily access information so that the balanced monitoring is required, the President said.
“Together, we have to ensure that the public can get accurate, qualified, and educative information in order to boost information literacy and to develop new creative channels for the public so that they are interested in obtaining good and accurate information,” the President said.
In addition, all parties, he added, must also share the spirit to make the Indonesian broadcasting sector better in various aspects, including the aspect of broadcasting content, the industry, and the growth of broadcast media.
The public must also be educated in order to be more intelligent and critical in sorting and addressing the information they received, he added.
“With the sustainable improvement and structuring of the broadcasting media ecosystem, I believe that the Indonesian broadcasting industry will be more robust, more resilient and in greater demand by the public with quality, intelligent appearance and content,” President Jokowi concluded. (Presidential Secretariat’s Press, Media, and Information Bureau/ UN) (AP/EP)
