Batangtoru, March 6, 2020 – PT. Agincourt Resources once again proved the commitment to support improvement of Competency of mass media journalists through execution of the 30th Journalist Competency Test of the Indonesian Journalist Association (PWI) held for the first time in Central Tapanuli, on 4-5 March 2020. This Journalist Competency Test was attended by the Chairman of PWI Head Office himself Atal S. Depari.
The opening of the Journalist Competency Test was held at Pia Hotel, Pandan, Central Tapanuli, and attended by the local leaders such as the Regent of Central Tapanuli Bakhtiar Sibarani, Vice Regent of Central Tapanuli Darwin Sitompul, the Mayor of Sibolga Syarfi Hutauruk, and the Head of Police of Central Tapanuli AKBP Sukamat.
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Some of the examiners of the Journalist Competency Test this time were Rajab Ritonga, who is the Director of the Journalist Competency Test of PWI Head Office, Abdul Rahim Lubis; the Chairman of PWI of North Sumatra Hermansyah, Dedi Sahputra, and Muhammad Sahrir. The Journalist Competency Test was attended by 30 journalists from various areas in North Sumatra, such as Central Tapanuli, Sibolga, South Tapanuli, Mandailing Natal, and Medan. The Journalist Competency Test was opened with a provisioning from Wina Armada Sukardi, an Indonesian Press Ethics and Legal Export, who was also the Press Council Lawyer.
The Vice President Director of Agincourt Resources and also the CEO of PT Agincourt Resources Tim Duffy said that the support showed the willingness of Martabe Gold Mine to always grow and develop with the stakeholders, who were the journalists, and also to improve the relationship that had been built constructively and harmoniously through these years.
“We expect that through the support to arrange the Journalist Competency Test, we will also contribute and participate in improvement of journalism quality in North Sumatra and Indonesia. We support the efforts of the Indonesian Journalist Association to keep producing journalists who have high Competency and who are professional,” said Tim Duffy.
The Senior Manager of Corporate Communication of PT Agincourt Resources, Katarina Siburian Hardono added that through the Journalist Competency Test, Martabe Gold Mine also wanted to improve knowledge and comprehension of the journalists related to sustainable and world class mining practice.
“This year is the 8th year Martabe Gold Mine operating and we want the journalists to understand the benefit and positive contribution of mine operation, in particular to the people in the area of mining operation, among which through implementation of gender diversity and various superior CSR programs. The closing of the Journalist Competency Test was made at Martabe Gold Mine to allow the journalists to directly see our operation and contribution.”
The support to the Journalist Competency Test held in Central Tapanuli for the first time was given high appreciation from the local leaders, who were the Regent of Central Tapanuli Bakhtiar Sibarani and the Mayor of Sibolga Syarfi Hutauruk.
“This is a positive step. It is remarkable that there is a company that consistently supports improvement of Competency of journalists, in particular in our region. I express my gratitude,” said Bakhtiar.
On the same occasion, Syarfi said that being a journalist is a noble and honourable profession, so the Journalist Competency Test and in-depth understanding of Journalistic Ethics were required.
The Chairman of the PWI Head Office Atal S. Depari said that a journalist profession benchmark was the Competency test.
“PWI expresses its gratitude to Martabe Gold Mine that routinely takes part in our efforts to develop journalist professionalism all over Indonesia.”
Not only in the support to arrangement of Journalist Competency Test, Martabe Gold Mine also has various annual programs aiming at improving skill and capability of the journalists, not only in North Sumatra, but also in Indonesia. Among the programs are the Media Capacity Improvement Program and Martabe Gold Mine Journalistic Award.
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Moreover, Martabe Gold Mine has also facilitated several discussion sessions that came with comparative studies for the journalists to oversee sustainable mining practices at other companies such as those in North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, West Java, and other places.
During the 8 years of operation, Martabe Gold Mine at least has involved hundreds of journalists from many mass media in North Sumatra to take the Journalist Competency Test. The 30th Journalist Competency Test was the third time for the company to give support, since 2016 and 2018.
Photo 1: Martabe Gold Mine Management Representative photographed with PWI Central Chairperson Atal S. Depari, North Sumatra PWI Chair Hermansyah, Middle Tapanuli Deputy Regent Darwin Sitompul and Sibolga Mayor Syarfi Hutauruk and XXXW UKW participants.
Photo 2: Central Tapanuli Regent Bakhtiar Sibarani responds in the midst of the implementation of UKW Force XXX.
Photo 3: PT Agincourt Resources Senior Corporate Communication Manager Katarina Siburian Hardono is currently a guest speaker at UKW Force XXX in Central Tapanuli.
