Devianti Faridz to join Causindy

CAUSINDY is pleased to announce that Devianti Faridz, Channel NewsAsia’s Jakarta correspondent, will be moderating this year’s Election Debrief panel session.

Devianti is a former journalist with Indonesia’s broadcasters, Metro TV and Televisi Republik Indonesia, and Voice of America-Indonesia in Washington DC. Among her most memorable assignments was her coverage of the plight of young Indonesian boat crew members who were detained in Australian prisons after being deceived by human traffickers.

She has interviewed key public figures including Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Devianti believes that Australian and Indonesian bilateral relations will be able to further grow under President-elect Joko Widodo’s leadership. “Unlike the older elite politicians, Mr. Widodo is seen as a humble man who holds a different perspective of governance and takes on a different approach to problem solving various social and economic issues. With this, the prospect of having a renewed and flourishing relationship between Australia and Indonesia exists in the future,” she said.

“In one of the Presidential Debates, Mr. Widodo has even proposed to build a better government, business and community ties with Australia through educational and cultural exchanges. But in order to build stronger ties, both countries need to treat each other with respect and properly address some hot button issues that if left unattended could fester and potentially harm future ties, including wiretapping allegations and asylum seekers issues.”

About Devianti Faridz

Devianti Faridz is Channel NewsAsia’s correspondent in Jakarta. She is a former journalist with Indonesia’s broadcasters, Metro TV and Televisi Republik Indonesia, and Voice of America-Indonesia in Washington DC. Among her more memorable assignments was her coverage of the plight of young Indonesian boat crew members who were detained in Australian prisons after being deceived by human traffickers. She has interviewed various key public figures in the world including Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

In 2011, Devianti Faridz was awarded Australia’s Elizabeth O Neill Award recognising high-achieving journalists dedicated to promoting mutual understanding of Australia and Indonesia through accurate and informed media coverage.

She is a Fulbright scholar and a Master of Arts in Broadcast Journalism graduate from the University of Missouri, USA. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Communications Design from Indonesia’s Trisakti University. For leisure, Devianti Faridz is actively involved in alumni activities that encourage cultural exchange and youth empowerment.

Samantha Yap,

Samantha is a broadcast journalist and producer who is passionate about covering issues in the Asia-Pacific region. She has gained journalism experience in Jakarta, Melbourne, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Her work has been featured on SBS News, Australia Network, ABC News 24 and Tempo TV. She's also had work experience with Al Jazeera Network.