Indonesian Consultative Assembly’s Speaker Receives Appreciation from the Indonesian Citizen Journalists Association

FU, Jakarta – Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia (MPR RI), Bambang Soesatyo, received a Certificate of Appreciation from the National Board of Indonesian Citizens Journalists Association (PPWI). The award was handed over directly by the Chairman of PPWI, Wilson Lalengke, to Mr. Bambang Soesatyo on the occassion of the meeting between PPWI and the MPR RI, Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

PPWI gave an award because the association assessed that Bambang Soesatyo’s performance had a positive impact on the nation and humanity through the MPR RI institution he led. The Certificate of Appreciation given to the Chairman of the MPR RI was signed by General Chairman Wilson Lalengke, Secretary General Fachrul Razi, Advisory Council Maya Rumantir, and PPWI International Representative Abdul Rahman Salem Dabboussi.

The meeting which took place in the office of the Speaker lasted for about one hour starting at 11.10 WIB until it was finished. Present at the meeting, apart from the PPWI Chairman, were also seen number of PPWI members, including PPWI Deputy Chairman, Mung Pujanarko; Deputy Secretary General , Julian Caisar; and Deputy Treasurer, Winarsih. There were also Fernandia Sima Antasari and Edwin Waturandang from PPWI of Jakarta.

Meanwhile, from the MPR RI, Bambang Soesatyo, who is familiarly called Bamsoet, was accompanied by several MPR RI staff. A number of media, both from the Secretariat of the MPR RI and PPWI were also present to cover this meeting.

On this occasion, Wilson Lalengke reported the results of the PPWI 3rd National Congress which was held on 10-12 November 2022. Regarding the results of the Congress, this PPRA-48 Lemhannas RI alumni submitted a request to the Speaker as one of the PPWI Advisory Boards to be willing to attend and inaugurate the new PPWI Management for the 2022-2027 period.

“Please make an agenda, later I will attend and inaugurate the PPWI Management as a result of the PPWI National Congress,” said Bambang Soesatyo in response to the PPWI’s request.

Wilson Lalengke then conveyed several programs that could be carried out by PPWI to support the performance of the legislative institutions, both the MPR RI and the DPR and DPD RI. Among the various programs presented, in general they had collaborated with several previous institutions such as the TNI, Polri, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, Jasa Raharja, and others.

“We have frequently carried out these programs with the National Police, the Indonesia Military, and several ministries and agencies. So, PPWI has experience in managing and implementing collaborative programs like this,” explained this national press figure of Indonesia.

These programs are journalism training, photo competitions, video competitions, writing competitions, collaborative reporting, reporting and information insemination, as well as media consulting and publications. “In addition to journalists, PPWI has also collaborated on journalistic training for many groups, including workers, staff, and the general public. This is intended so that ordinary people are able to write down information in a journalistic style of writing, including fulfilling the 5W + 1H principles, check and recheck, and cover both sides,” said Wilson Lalengke, who has trained thousands of members of the TNI, Polri, civil servants, teachers/lecturers, journalists and the general public.

In this meeting, Bambang Soesatyo left a message that Citizen Journalists who are members of PPWI encourage the community through administrators in the regions to increase content containing information about regional potential, including tourism potential and local product results. According to him, the dissemination of information about regional potentials will be able to improve the economy of rural communities.

“The role of citizen journalists in driving the rural economic sector based on tourism and MSMEs is very large. It is evident from various places that previously not many people knew about, then went viral and finally crowded with residents because of the reporting done by citizen journalists. Like the Water Gong in Klaten, Nanggulan Rice Fields in Kulon Progo, Embung Kledung in Temanggung, Riung Gunung Nuances in Bandung, Antapura De Jati in Garut, Ranu Manduro in Mojokerto, to Amaryllis Garden in Yogyakarta,” said Bambang Soesatyo, a former journalist for Prioritas Media.

In another part of his directive, Bamsoet said that citizen journalists can become critical and strategic partners for state administrators, regional government administrators, to village administration administrators in their respective areas. For example, by becoming a social force for village communities to ensure that village funds are managed and utilized in an appropriate and targeted manner by state administrators.

“In the 2023 State Budget, the Government and DPR RI have allocated Village Funds of up to IDR 70 trillion, which have been allocated to 74,954 villages in 434 districts and cities. The large amount of the Village Fund must be ensured that it can have an effect on improving the economy and welfare of the village community,” explained the Deputy Chairperson of the FKPPI.

Responding to this directive, Wilson Lalengke said that his party was ready to assist the Government in encouraging people in all regions to explore the potential of their region and publish it in existing media including social media. PPWI is also ready to become a strategic partner of the government in carrying out social control and government control down to the village level, including in terms of using village funds sourced from the National Budget. (APL/Ed)