Atal S Depari Appointed as President of ASEAN Journalists Confederation

Bali, MINA – General Chairperson of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Atal S Depari has been appointed as President of the Confederation of ASEAN Journalists (CAJ).

“I am grateful to be able to replace Tep Chai Yong as CAJ President. This is certainly thanks to the cooperation and support of all,” said Atal S after the determination ceremony at the 20th CAJ General Assembly in Bali on Tuesday.

With his appointment as CAJ President, Atal hopes to be able to support President Joko Widodo who next year will serve as ASEAN Chair so that he can advance the life of journalism and improve the life of a free and responsible press.

In addition, Atal hopes that this will strengthen the internal relations between ASEAN journalists and journalists’ organizations around the world.

“In the last two years, the press world globally has been faced with double pressure. First, the pressure due to digital disruption. Second, the economic pressure due to Covid-19. These two pressures really hit the sustainability of the media, both journalistically and economically,” said Atal.

Atal invites to declare the spirit to together rise from the crisis of a better and more authoritative press life and in the next two years, we must continue to exchange information, ideas and perspectives.

“Let’s think together about how to build a model of journalism and a sustainable approach to media in order to keep the function of the press as the fourth power of democracy,” said the President of CAJ.

Indonesia officially accepts the post of CAJ President from Thailand. Indonesia’s previous position was Vice President of CAJ. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)