Broadcasting law takes effect without President's approval<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The much criticized broadcasting law has taken effect without
\napproval of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who refrained from
\nsigning the legislation due to mounting protests against it.<\/p>\n
The President's refusal to ink the bill endorsed by the House
\nof Representatives is unusual, although it does not affect the
\nlegitimacy of the broadcasting law. The amended Constitution
\nenables a bill to take effect 30 days after its passage with or
\nwithout the President's approval.<\/p>\n
It was the second time that a broadcasting bill failed to
\nobtain the presidential nod. The old broadcasting bill endorsed
\nby the House in 1997 was rejected by President Soeharto. It was
\nreturned to the House, but its redeliberation was not completed
\nbefore Soeharto was forced to step down in May 1998.<\/p>\n
State Minister for Communication and Information Syamsul
\nMu'arif said on Friday Megawati might be reluctant to sign the
\nlaw because she was trying to evade the waves of protest from the
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
He played down the absence of the President's approval, saying
\nLaw No. 32\/2002 had in fact come into effect and that Megawati
\nhad asked him to enforce the law.<\/p>\n
Legislator Paulus Widianto, who chaired the House special
\ncommittee deliberating the broadcasting bill, told The Jakarta
\nPost whether the law was signed or not made no difference because
\nthe law had been enacted legally and Megawati did order Mu'arif
\nto execute it immediately.<\/p>\n
The broadcasting law had sparked protests from people in the
\nbroadcasting industry from the time it was about to be enacted by
\nthe House last November.<\/p>\n
The law is regarded by many as repressive because it gives the
\nauthorities new power to interfere in broadcasting activities,
\nwhich could eventually lead to censorship.<\/p>\n
In addition, the law mandates the establishment of the
\npowerful Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), which would
\nhave sweeping powers over the broadcasting industry.<\/p>\n
Syamsul said his office had initiated the forming of the KPI
\nand started drafting complementary government regulations.<\/p>\n
"As of Thursday, seven candidates have applied to become KPI
\nmembers," Syamsul told a press conference on the broadcasting
\nlaw.<\/p>\n
According to the office's press release there are at least 131
\ncandidates interested in becoming KPI members. However, they have
\nnot returned their application forms yet.<\/p>\n
KPI will have nine members, who will be selected by the House.<\/p>\n
The deadline for returning the forms is set for Feb. 28, and a
\nselection team will then process and submit them to the House on
\nMarch 4, before its recess.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/broadcasting-law-takes-effect-without-presidents-approval-1447893297",
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