"Your writing perhaps will be a historical reference someday," Patria highlighted.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Communication and Information, Nezar Patria, has urged journalists to foster the habit of writing, saying their writings could be valuable for the future generation.

After presenting his book Sejarah Mati di Kampung Kami: Cara Lain Menarasikan Aceh (History Dies in Our Village) during a book review here on Friday (July 21, 2023), he asked journalists to compile their published writings.

"Writing should become a habit, and the works should be compiled because it is valuable," Patria said.

Journalistic works could have future historical value, he said, adding that in the current digital era, all published works can be accessed anytime, even if they were written years ago.

"What you are writing is recorded. Moreover, there is a digital trace (of your works)," the deputy minister noted.

Hence, journalists should compose their news reports based on journalistic principles. They should also report news accurately and in a balanced manner, he added.

Though journalistic works are not historical works, they can be called the first draft of historical records, he said.

"Your writing perhaps will be a historical reference someday," Patria highlighted.

"However, to be a historical document, it requires a rigorous academic process," he added.

Patria, who has a journalism background with 20 years' experience in the field, expressed the hope that his book will help the younger generation study and read history.

The book covers the Aceh conflict, the 2004 tsunami disaster and recovery efforts, as well as human stories about social activities and dynamics in the digital era.

He said the book is a compilation of articles and opinions written by him since the Aceh tsunami of 2004.

"Yes, the time frame is quite long. I think it starts from the Aceh tsunami (in 2004) until last year (2022)," he added.

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Translator: Narda Margaretha, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Arie Novarina
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