DILI, 31 july 2021 (TATOLI) – The Representative of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), Demetrio Amaral, urged Timor-Leste’s News Agency, TATOLI, I.P to educate voters during the 2022 Presidential Election and 2023 Parliamentary Election through disseminating neutral and impartial news.
“The coverage and publication of TATOLI on the presentation of the political parties’ leaders or candidates during the election campaign hadn’t reached its maximum. Thus, TATOLI must become a reliable news source to disseminate the right information to educate voters during the 2022 Presidential Election,” Amaral made the comments when delivering his words at the commemoration of TATOLI’s fifth anniversary entitled: ‘TATOLI’s role on the success of the 2022 Presidential Election’ on Friday, in Dili.
He said TATOLI played an important role in the general elections’ voter education campaign. Thus, TATOLI must become a reliable news source to disseminate the right information to educate voters for the Presidential Election in 2022,” he said.
Amaral preferred TATOLI to be a media platform that can accept all sorts of ideas and thoughts from the public and becoming a public sphere for political participation: “TATOLI should not give confusing information to the voters.”
“Media are free to affiliate to any political parties, but journalists must always stick to deontological code for the journalistic profession to ensure the journalistic standard of neutrality,” Amaral affirmed.
“I encourage TATOLI to have and keep its neutral and impartial editorial and publishing policy, in order to control the journalists to stick to the Code of Ethics when exercising their role as journalists. This is just to ensure high-quality of a news article to public,” he said.
The representatives of CNRT, FRETILIN and the Democratic Party were invited to participate in the colloquy; however, they didn’t turn up for the event.
Journalist : Antónia Gusmão
Editor : Ciprinao Colo
Translator : Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
