PUBLISHED : 8 Dec 2023 at 04:00
New Zealand-born John McBeth, one of Asia’s preeminent journalists with a record of scrupulous and ground-breaking reporting, has died after a short illness in Jakarta, Indonesia. He was 79.
McBeth: An ‘old school’ reporter
He is survived by his wife, Yuli Ismartono, a prominent Indonesian journalist.
Over a career spanning more than 62 years McBeth’s reporting helped shape events in countries including South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia. McBeth was a blunt-speaking “old school” reporter and author whose writings pulled no punches and influenced many of the region’s policy-makers over decades.
He took pride in being an Asian “lifer”, often chiding many of his…
