If you were a journalist and one day were invited by the government to leave on umrah (small hajj) for free, would you say yes to it?

How about going on trip to Malaysia and Singapore (again, for free) so you can conduct a comparative study?

If your answer is “yes”, then you’re not alone. Forty Lampung (Indonesia) journalists are with you. In fact they are going overseas next month. To Makkah, and Malaysia, and Singapore. For free. Let the provincial budget funds you all.

Of course there will be people who do not like your decision. Like Alliance of Independent Journalists, for instance. They protest the plan, saying it will compromise you integrity and jeopardises reporting ethics. D’oh. What do they know?

Bribing is when someone gives you an envelope with money in it. Or fancy goods. But invitation to Makkah, Malaysia, and Singapore? No it’s not.

Aren’t I right?

From Asiamedia.

Topic: Ethics, Media Credibility