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Oleh Irvina Falah, Rabu, 3 Mei 2017 | 21:15 WIB - Redaktur: Irvina Falah - 314
Jakarta, InfoPublik - The media have played a significant role in helping make the Indonesian economy remain strong despite the world economic crisis in the past, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said at a ceremony on the presentation of the 2017 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize award at the Jakarta Convention Center on May 3, 2017.
Although the world was facing the economic crisis in 1997, Indonesia could stand strong with its economy positively growing as the media have also helped make it possible, the president said on the occasion which was held as part of the celebration of the World Press Freedom Day which is taking place in Jakarta on May 1-4, 2017.
When many countries were confused and under uncertainty due to the 1997 economic crisis, Indonesia could show that it is a market-oriented country which remains dynamically strong with democracy running well.
The crisis had made Indonesia strong with a dynamic society as the country guarantees the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press, the head of state said, adding that the country could also maintain the national stability.
“We cannot do this without you the press. Again we cannot do this without you the press,” the Indonesian president asserted.
Since the era of reforms in 1998, the press has been playing critical and important role in fighting corruption, and democracy has been running dynamically and the media have even made democracy even more dynamic, the president said.
On the occasion, the head of state also reminded that hoax and fake news stories were still found in many parts of the world and journalists were expected to help overcome the problem.
Earlier in the morning, Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla opened the World Press Freedom Day celebration at the same venue.
The presence of the president and the vice president at the same occasion, the same place and the same day showed that the Indonesian government paid very special attention to the freedom of the press.
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World Press Freedom Day 2017 Media Center
#WPFD2017
