Having PWI Blood, Cak Munir Enters The General Chair Election Exchange

Deputy Chairperson of the Central PWI Regional Sector Ahmad Munir (central) together with the management of the Pemred Forum in Jakarta (photo: dock. intermediate)

Deputy Chairperson of the Central Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), Ahmad Munir, plans to run in the election of the General Chairperson of the Central PWI for the period 2023 to 2028. This was stated when he met the Board of Management of the Pemred Forum in Jakarta, Friday, September 1. The man who is familiarly called Cak Munir met the Pemred Forum to ask for support for his candidacy in order to make PWI an authoritative community. Cak Munir explained that the audience with the Pemred Forum was carried out with input from the East Java PWI. In this audience, Cak Munir was received by the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Red Government Forum Arifin Asydhad and other administrators, namely Titin Rosmasari, Irfan Junaidi, Irna Gustia, Yura Syahrul, Sutta Dharmasaputra, Taufiqurrahman, Maria B. Benjamin, and Mukhlison. Cak Munir, admitted that he wanted to offer new hope to PWI in the future to have a leader figure who has a flag carrier in the mainstream media. "Figur can quickly adapt PWI to digitalization and it is almost identically colored by relatively younger administrators," said Cak Munir on the occasion. Cak Munir admitted that he had visited several PWI offices in the regions. He received a positive response and was in line with his hopes of building a better PWI. The Board of Management of the Pemred Forum also supports this idea. Asydhad stated that he was ready to help Cak Munir to run in the election of the General Chairperson of PWI for the 2023-2028 period. Asydhad also asked Cak Munir to also have an audience with the Advisory Board and the Supervisory Board of the Pemred Forum. "First, of course, we are administrators, because Cak Munir is a member, then we will provide support to Cak Munir for his efforts to run for PWI General Chair," said Asydhad, who is also the Chief Editor of Kumparan. He said that the Article 6 paragraph (g) stipulated in the Article 6 paragraph (g) regulated regarding support for members who participate in occupying various positions and positions in institutions and organizations. This is regulated in Article 6 paragraph (g) which reads, "Assisting in providing opportunities for members to participate in occupying various positions and positions in institutions and or organizations related to the protection and development of democracy, independence expresses opinions, especially press independence". Asydhad also considered that Cak Munir, who is also the President Director of the ANTARA National News Agency (LKBN), really has PWI blood. The reason is, Cak Munir from starting his career as a journalist has joined PWI. He prayed for Cak Munir to be successful in the election of the General Chairperson of PWI. Then, Asydhad also hoped that Cak Munir would be able to uphold the freedom of the responsible press to encourage the realization of the rules regarding public rights. Titin Rosmasari, who serves as Secretary General of the Pemred Forum, asked about Cak Munir's vision and mission in the contestation at the PWI Congress. Meanwhile, Yura encouraged Cak Munir not to practice money politics in the contestation.

Furthermore, Cak Munir revealed that his reason for participating in the contestation of the General Chairperson of the Central PWI was to restore the dignity of PWI as the largest press organization in Indonesia. The PWI members spread out reached 20 thousand people. "Based on that thought, because I am PWI's blood. I have been a journalist all my life since 1991 until now (in 2023) I have been a PWI administrator," said Cak Munir. The man from East Java explained that he had joined PWI since 1991. In 1995, he served as Secretary of Siwo PWI East Java for the first time. "In 2000, I became Chairperson of Siwo PWI East Java for 2 periods, 10 years to 2010. 2010 to 2020 I became Chairman of PWI East Java. Throughout my career from young journalists have been in PWI," he said, quoted by Antara.