Indonesia Raya (newspaper)

Indonesia Raya was an Indonesian newspaper co-founded in 1949 by Mochtar Lubis. Before its permanent closure in 1974, it was banned numerous times by both the Sukarno and Suharto governments.

Indonesia Raya
Founder(s)Mochtar Lubis
Founded1949
LanguageIndonesian
Ceased publication1974
CountryIndonesia

History

Indonesia Raya was co-founded in 1949 by Mochtar Lubis.[1] It received irregular funding from military intelligence officers[2] and operated under the opinion that, for the free press, the government was "adversary number one".[3] By 1956 its circulation was 40,000,[4] but after 1957 Indonesia Raya was banned six times.[1]

Lubis, the paper's editor, in c. 1955

In October 1958, Indonesia Raya was banned and Mochtar Lubis imprisoned.[5] The daily did not resume publication until 1968, when the New Order government permitted its publication.[1] Former employees and staff were asked to return and continue their work.[5]

Beginning in 1969, Indonesia Raya published many articles regarding corruption in Pertamina. Although some newspapers, including Kompas, supported Indonesia Raya, others claimed that Indonesia Raya had a conflict of interest with Pertamina and accused it of trying blackmail the oil company. Eventually, in August 1970 Indonesia Raya was told to desist their reports or face serious repercussions.[6]

Indonesia Raya covered the 1973 Thai student demonstrations and the downfall of the regime. This coverage has been suggested to have been one of the causes of the Malari incident.[7] In 1974, following the incident, Indonesia Raya was banned again; this was due in part to the newspaper's coverage of corruption in Pertamina.[1][5] Mochtar Lubis and several other journalists were imprisoned without a trial, while others were blacklisted.[5] It was eventually decided to discontinue the newspaper.[1]

References
  1. A. Junaidi (3 July 2004). "Press freedom fighter, writer Mochtar Lubis passes away". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  2. Hill 1994, p. 32
  3. Kakiailatu 2007, p. 61
  4. Kakiailatu 2007, p. 70
  5. Badri Jawara (23 July 2002). "Press freedom 'still under threat'". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  6. Hill 1994, p. 38
  7. Hill 1994, pp. 153–154

Bibliography
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