Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – The government is planning to provide subsidised housing for journalists. Three journalist organisations however have rejected the program for fear that journalists will not be critical anymore.
The three organisations rejecting the housing credit program for journalists are the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Indonesian Television Journalist Association (IJTI) and the Indonesian Photo Journalists (PFI). According to the organisations, there is no need for a group of professions to be privileged above others through the housing credit program.
Instead of giving privileges to journalists by granting of special channels to access housing credit, it would be better if the government guarantees a decent minimum wage for journalists.
"Home subsidies should not be based on profession but for people who need it depending on the income category, whatever the profession" said PFI General Chairperson Reno Esnir in a press release published on the AJI website as quoted by Kompas.com on Wednesday April 16.
Meanwhile AJI Chairperson Nani Afrida said, "If journalists get housing from the Komdigi ministry, a public impression that journalists are no longer critical cannot be avoided. So the program should just be stopped, let friends get credit through normal channels like through the Tapera program or banks".
Journalists as citizens do need housing. But not only journalists, all citizens of any profession need housing. Therefore the home credit requirements must apply to all citizens without having to distinguish between their professions.
"The government must focus on how [to make] the home credit requirements affordable for all levels of society", said IJTI Chairperson Herik Kurniawan.
"The IJTI expresses its thanks the government for its attention on journalists, but we hope that the government could help the press with various regulations that could build a healthy media ecosystem", he said.
Kurniawan also suggested that the Press Council does not need to be involved in the program because its mandate is more focused on journalism, while a subsidised housing programs for journalists are not directly related to the press.
"There is no need for interference by the Press Council. Because it is not the mandate of the Press Council to take care of housing", said Kurniawan.
Therefore the AJI, IJTI and PFI rejected the government's plan to provide subsidised home loans to journalists. Journalists do need a home to live but they should get subsidised home credit programs through normal channels, together with other citizens.
It would be better if the government focused on the procurement of housing that is affordable for all citizens and ensure that the target to build 3 million affordable houses is fully met.
If the government wants to improve journalists' welfare, it should ensure that media companies adhere to the Labour Law. If journalists are prosperous then they can access home loans.
"Including ensuring a minimum wage for journalists, improving the media ecosystems and respecting journalistic work", said Nani Afrida.
The government, through cooperation with the Ministry of Public Housing and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) plans to distribute 1,000 subsidised and liveable houses for journalists starting on May 6.
The program is being run in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas, the Komdigi, the BPS, the Public Housing Savings Program (Tapera) and the state-owned National Savings Bank (BTN), using the Housing Financing Liquidity Facility (FLPP) scheme.
The FLPP can actually be accessed by anyone providing they meet the requirements. The requirements include not already owning a house and having a maximum income of 7 million (for single people) or 8 million (those who have a family). The interest is set at a 5 percent fix rate and the down payment is 1 percent of the house's value.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "3 Organisasi Jurnalis Tolak Program Rumah Subsidi Khusus Wartawan".]
