President Yudhoyono wants to become closer to the media

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met senior media editors here on Thursday, expressing his willingness to always come closer to the media.

"The media must be `close to the heart and the eyes,` not close to the heart but far from sight, or `hate but love`," the president said in a dialogue with members of the Media Editors Forum at the State Palace.

During the 2.5 hour-meeting the Head of State was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi and Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam.

The media editors were led by the forum`s chairman Wahyu Muryadi of `Tempo` Magazine accompanied by Akhmad Kusaeni (Antara News Agency), Asro Kamal Rokan (Jurnal Nasional), Don Bosco Salamun (Berita Satu), Nurjaman Mochtar (SCTV private TV station), Heddy Lugito (Gatra), Farhat Sukri (state-run TVRI station) and Niken of the RRI state-owned radio.

In an effort to come closer to the media, the President expressed hope that he would have frequent meetings with the media executives, offering them a relax gathering at the Bogor Palace or at the Cipanas palace next May.

"I can cook special fried rice for you with a special Pacitan family recipe," Yudhoyono said.

The Forum Chairman Wahyu Muryadi meanwhile said besides enjoying the President`s fried rice, the gathering at the Bogor or Cipanas Palace could also be enliven with grilling corn, singing sons and the next morning with tree planting for re-greening.

"We also invite you Mr President to attend the summit of the Indonesian media executive editors in Nusa Dua, Bali, next June," Wahyu said.

The President said he was ready to attend the meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali.

Earlier, Antara Executive Editor Akhmad Kusaeni expressed hope that the close relations between the president and the media would continue to be maintained until 2014 and beyond.

"Along the history, the relations between the President and the media are like a love story which is colored with feeling of love and hate," he said.

According to Kusaeni, the President and the Media always feel mutual love because theh have the same commitment to society and the public, as well as to the societal values and the Constitution.

"The President serve the people and the media publications are loyal to the public. So we have the same commitment on the same boat," he said.

With the same commitment, the media and the president can go on the same track. The relations can turn into hate when the commitment is betrayed.

History has recorded that when a president deviate from the commitment and began to violate the Constitution, the press also began to show discontent like what had happened in the run up to the end of the Soeharto and Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) governments. (A014

Source: ANTARA