My experience on the JPP 2008

By Inez Mahony
University of Sydney

Inez Mahony is a postgraduate student from the University of Sydney. Like Sunanda Creagh she had previously studied with ACICIS at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, so her Indonesian is almost fluent. She has previously had articles published in

• Inside Indonesia magazine -
  • see The Magic of Alas Purwo National Park
  • and Time honoured remedies for uncertain times.
• Read her field-work thesis on Javanese Dukun done while an ACICIS student in east Java

Inez had her work placement at the Antara National News Agency.

See also:

• An article published in Tempo and Asia Views
• Article in the Brisbane Courier Mail about her time on the JPP 2008

I felt I was able to do anything I wanted on this program. I wanted to experience court reporting in Indonesia, I wanted to cover the crime report, I wanted to talk to journalists from many different media outlets, I wanted to interview key figures from Indonesian media, meet Louise Williams and Geoff Thompson, I wanted to cover Islam in Indonesia issues, press freedom issues, I wanted to be part of the documentary making team, I wanted to practice my Indonesian language, and make more Indonesian friends. Thanks to ACICIS, Antara newswire and the huge network of friends and acquaintances I made, I achieved all these things and much, much more. It was just a matter of ‘ask and you shall receive’.

Many aspects of journalism in Indonesia are very different from journalism in Australia. Networking is so easy as Indonesians are very friendly and open, always willing to help. In general they are not shy, so I wasn’t refused an interview – even on-camera interviews. And the bule card still works in Jakarta! I managed to interview the editor- in-chief of the Jakarta Post, Tempo weekly (both the Indonesian version and the English version), Kompas, Republika, and Madina Islamic magazine, as well as press council members, and members of the Independent Journalist Association (AJI). At press conferences I interviewed civil activists, religious leaders, politicians (such as General Wiranto and Akbar Tanjung) and authorities.

I was involved in getting documentary film footage and interviewing people from the makeshift houses that line the Ciliwung River. No one minded us filming them washing clothes and dishes in the filthy garbage strewn river, while kids swam, a man fished with a net, a mother filled her bucket with water for cooking, and a lady took a crap. All this footage was taken in the first 10 minutes being there. Then we walked through the labyrinth of shacks, complete with covered walkways and skinny alleyways - even a shop, saying hello to the friendly and welcoming people living there and peering into their humble homes. We interviewed a woman who lived there with her husband, seven children and four grandchildren. They readily invited us into their three-storey ‘house’ made of scrap plywood and river flotsam, gracing the banks of the Ciliwung. At least every six months the family move to the top level to escape the flooding river. Sometimes they have to evacuate because the water level reaches the roof. They live under the constant threat of flood and eviction. The dwellings opposite them had been demolished a few weeks earlier. Like the appearance of these dignified people, their house was clean and neat. However, it is an illegal dwelling, even though they still have to pay land tax on it.

I loved the comraderie among journalists from all media, evident at the many press conferences, media events, and the media rounds of the courts and police stations. They are not shy in helping each other out or sharing information, there doesn’t seem to be any hoarding of news, exclusivity or competition. They all seem to be friends and have a good time hanging out with each other. 

And I really enjoyed the lunch boxes provided for journalists at all press conferences!

The court reporting is testimony to some aspects of Indonesia’s free press. I witnessed the acquittal of the Garuda pilot’s secretary involved in falsifying documents to give Munir’s murderer, Pollycarpus, access to Munir. In a run down courtroom, with a dodgy PA system - the speakers of which were draped in recording devices, and only one of five fans working, my view of the judges and accused was obscured by the row of television cameras and photographers lined up in the front of the courtroom. At times the cameras turned on the observers and came within inches of my face (being the only bule present). I saw the cameras and journalists form a tsunami at the last blow of the gavel and swamp the accused and lawyers. That doesn’t happen in Australia.

I was the only bule at a criminal investigations press conference about the biggest bust of credit card fraud and production so far in Indonesia. There were tables filled with 7000 false credit cards, printing machines, embossing machines and other evidence for the 70-odd journalists present to pick up and examine. The police commissioner and criminal investigating officers wanted to shake my hand??? Get me a seat, something to eat. Best of all was when they hauled in the 14 suspects involved in the bust, all in prison clothes, looking very sheepish. They had to stand in the room with us for the whole press conference and the scramble for interviews afterwards. That doesn’t happen in Australia.

I loved getting around Jakarta by bus, minibus, angkot, bajaj, and, best of all, ojek. Didn’t need to get many taxis, although they are abundant and cheap.

I experienced a Jakarta flood, saw demonstrations and protests, I went to Suharto’s house the night he died and was in Indonesia to gauge reactions to the attempted murders of Timor Leste’s President and Prime Minister. And there was much more – too much to tell now. I got a few hard news stories written, translated many from Indonesian to English and got a feature article published in Tempo weekly magazine. Through this program I’ve managed to make long-lasting friendships, find new opportunities in Indonesia and open more doors to the future.