New Zealand honours excellence at Indonesian journalism awards

Excellence in Indonesian journalism was honoured by the New Zealand Embassy at the 2010 Mochtar Lubis Awards ceremony held in Jakarta last week.
The Embassy, in partnership with the Institute for Press Studies and Development (LSPP), sponsored one of the award’s five categories – “best reporting in the public interest”.
Tempo magazine, with an article on mismanagement during the development of Jakarta’s Busway project, and Modus Aceh, a weekly newspaper with an article on inadequate provision of medical waste management facilities at hospitals in Aceh, were joint winners for the “best reporting in the public interest” category. Both will share 50 million rupiah in prize money.

When announcing the winners, New Zealand’s Ambassador to Indonesia, David Taylor, said he was impressed with the dynamism, quality and courage of the print media in Indonesia.

“A responsible and free media is something worth celebrating and in my opinion Indonesia has a great deal to celebrate in that respect.”

Taylor said that while journalists need determination to succeed, they also need to subscribe to the highest professional standards.

Getting the story right really matters particularly when the media reports on state services, he said.

“Good journalism is about accurate reporting.”

The Mochtar Lubis Awards were launched by LSPP in 2008 to recognise the best journalism in Indonesia.  Celebrated journalist and editor Mochtar Lubis (1922-2004) was a champion of media freedom and standards in Indonesia.