Broadcasting bill criticized<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The latest draft of the broadcasting law, to be deliberated in
\nthe next two weeks, reveals the ignorance of the House of
\nRepresentatives and the government in regards public demands for
\nrevision of several contentious articles.<\/p>\n
Various groups have urged the lawmakers to drop a clause that
\nallows civil service investigators to ban a broadcasting station.
\nThis regulation, they said, was a repeat of the New Order
\nregime's authoritarian practice to control the media.<\/p>\n
Both the House and the government also maintained an article
\nthat empowered government to interfere in broadcasting
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
The House special committee deliberating the bill and Minister
\nof Communication and Information Syamsul Mu'arif agreed on
\nTuesday that the draft law would be brought forward for
\nendorsement on Nov. 25 as planned. They said there was not enough
\ntime to discuss and to adopt all items proposed by various
\ngroups.<\/p>\n
Leo S. Batubara of the Indonesian Press and Broadcasting
\nSociety (MPPI) expressed his regret, saying that both legislators
\nand government failed to accommodate the aspirations of the
\npeople.<\/p>\n
\"They do not listen to public demand. They work only according
\nto their own concept,\" Leo told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The MPPI staged five demonstrations and placed advertisements
\nin the media to call for public resistance against the
\ncontentious articles in the bill, but legislators and the
\nminister turned a deaf ear and remained unbending.<\/p>\n
\"We've done our best, but it seems we've lost the battle,\" Leo
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to Leo, the ignorance of legislators and the
\nminister indicated an authoritarian attitude, which he said was
\nthe true character of Indonesian officials.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Gecko Sassily, a member of the House special
\ncommittee deliberating the bill, told the press on Wednesday that
\nthe broadcasting bill will be endorsed on Nov.25. He said his
\nteam would use the time left to accommodate as many public
\naspirations as possible in the bill.<\/p>\n
Should there be a deadlock, legislators and the minister have
\nagreed to use the final draft completed on Sept. 26.<\/p>\n
\"We have done our best. If it does not satisfy the public they
\ncan take action,\" Gecko added.<\/p>\n
The deliberation of the broadcasting bill began two years ago,
\nand was further prolonged by the cabinet shake-up as a result of
\nthe transfer of power from Abdurrahman Wahid to Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri in July last year.<\/p>\n
Protests, including those from members of the House special
\ncommittee, have marked the deliberation. Legislator Astrid S.
\nSusanto of the Indonesian Nationhood Unity Faction (FKKI) walked
\nout of the conference room in September to protest what she
\ndeemed the government's lack of commitment to the bill.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/broadcasting-bill-criticized-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}