Coalition reveals flaws in information bill<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for freedom
\nof information has called on the House of Representatives (DPR)
\nto discard articles allowing public offices to use existing laws
\nto justify their objections to information disclosure.<\/p>\n
The group also said the use of other legislation as a
\nreference would only hamper effective implementation of the
\nfreedom of information law, which is currently being deliberated
\nby House members.<\/p>\n
"We must reject those articles. The law will be ineffective if
\nthose articles are not scrapped," coalition member Wiwiek Awiyati
\nsaid during a discussion here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
She was referring to article 5 and article 6 (1) of the
\nfreedom of information bill, which was drafted by the House.<\/p>\n
Article 5 stipulates that users of public information have
\nthe obligation not to misuse information as related to this law
\nand other laws.<\/p>\n
Article 6 (1), on the other hand, says that public offices
\nhave the right to refuse to disclose information if it falls into
\nthe category of information excluded by this and other laws.<\/p>\n
Although the freedom of information bill mandates state
\nofficials to reveal information, these officials can use other
\nlaws to turn down a request for information disclosure.<\/p>\n
Wiwiek, director of the Indonesian Center for Environmental
\nLaw (ICEL), said the incorporation of other laws into this law
\nwould only make the freedom of information law ineffective as
\nseveral laws have the tendency to keep information from the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
She cited laws on archives, trade secrets, terrorism and some
\nbills on state secrecy, intelligence and the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI).<\/p>\n
Fellow coalition member Ignatius Haryanto from the Institute
\nfor Press and Development Studies (LSPP) concurred with Wiwiek,
\nsaying the freedom of information law would be useless should
\nthose articles be implemented.<\/p>\n
He warned lawmakers to continue providing freedom to the
\npublic to get information. "There must be maximum access (to
\ninformation) and minimum exemptions," Ignatius said.<\/p>\n
Under the freedom of information bill, all information is
\naccessible to the public, with some exceptions.<\/p>\n
Among the information exempted from the public domain is that
\nwhich could affect law enforcement, put witnesses and officers in
\ndanger, halt an investigation, affect protection of property
\nrights, disadvantage defense strategy, or violate personal
\nprivacy.<\/p>\n
Both Wiwiek and Ignatius also regretted a statement from head
\nof the State Intelligence Body (BIN) Hendropriyono, who expressed
\nhis objection to permitting public access to information.<\/p>\n
According to Hendropriyono, such access would threaten
\nnational integrity.<\/p>\n
Ifdal Kasim of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy
\n(ELSAM), meanwhile, said the statement from Hendropriyono
\nindicated an increase in efforts by the authorities to suppress
\nthe development of democratic infrastructure.<\/p>\n
He emphasized that the government was trying to use the
\nmomentum of the "war against terrorism" to consolidate power vis
\na vis the citizenry.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/coalition-reveals-flaws-in-information-bill-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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