Govt to file new freedom of expression bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to submit a second bill
\nseeking to regulate freedom of expression after withdrawing the
\nfirst one on Tuesday amid signs that the legislation would not
\nhave passed the House of Representatives' scrutiny.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice Muladi said the government intended to
\nsubmit the new bill as soon as possible and hoped the House would
\nbegin its first reading on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"We're waiting for the President's signature,\" Muladi told
\njournalists after attending a House of Representatives plenary
\nsession during which the government announced its decision to
\nwithdraw the first bill.<\/p>\n
The first bill was widely criticized not only for its content,
\nwhich many felt would curtail people's right to demonstrate, but
\nalso because the government had invoked a state of emergency by
\nproposing a government regulation in lieu of a law.<\/p>\n
This method meant that the House had to give a speedy reading
\nof the legislation. It circumvented the lengthy process that laws
\nhave to go through to get House approval.<\/p>\n
During the plenary session, Armed Forces Commander\/Minister of
\nDefense and Security Gen. Wiranto announced the government's
\ndecision to withdraw the bill. His word were greeted with huge
\napplause from the floor.<\/p>\n
Wiranto quickly added that the government would submit a new
\nbill soon without invoking the state of emergency clause
\npermitted under the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
He also indicated that the content would be amended in view of
\nvarious public protests.<\/p>\n
The first bill was drafted by the Ministry of Defense and
\nSecurity. It proposed limiting street demonstrations to a maximum
\nof 50 persons. Anything larger would require police permission.
\nThe bill also stipulated that the media had to obtain police
\npermission before reporting on the content of any demonstration.<\/p>\n
Wiranto said on Tuesday the government would drop the media
\npermit clause. The second bill would also raise the maximum
\nnumber of street protesters to 100 before police permission was
\nrequired, he said.<\/p>\n
The first bill passed the second reading last week with only
\nthe United Development Party (PPP) faction categorically opposing
\nboth the content of the bill and the method by which it was
\npresented to ensure speedy passage through the House.<\/p>\n
The other factions simply said they were prepared to debate
\nthe contentious points.<\/p>\n
The government had earlier maintained that the situation in
\nthe country had been so critical due to widespread violent street
\nprotests that it believed many demonstrations had led to the
\ndestruction of property and even loss of life. But it never
\nofficially announced that the country was in a state of
\nemergency.<\/p>\n
In April, the government also invoked the state of emergency
\nclause when presenting the bankruptcy bill. The document was duly
\ndeliberated and passed by the House in August because it was
\nneeded to allow creditors to initiate bankruptcy proceedings in
\ncourt to repossess money from corporations that were technically
\nbankrupt under massive unpaid debts.<\/p>\n
The government's decision to withdraw the bill was lauded even
\nby one of its most ardent critics, labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan,
\nwho was in the House gallery to watch the plenary session.<\/p>\n
\"That's a wise move. I agree we need a law regulating street
\nprotests, but it must be openly debated,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Legislators Andi Matalatta of the dominant Golkar faction and
\nBachtiar Chamsyah of the Moslem-based United Development Party
\nsaid they were ready to deliberate the new bill.<\/p>\n
\"If it is a bill for a law, then it's our duty to deliberate
\nit,\" Bachtiar said.<\/p>\n
Andi said deliberation of the second bill would be fast
\nbecause much of the content had been widely debated by the
\npublic, and the government had taken note of the objections.<\/p>\n
Former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret) Rudini defended on
\nTuesday the government's proposal to regulate protests, saying
\nthat such a measure was needed for the sake of the protesters
\nthemselves.<\/p>\n
Protesters should inform the police about the venue of their
\nprotest and the route they intend to take if they plan to hold a
\nmarch.<\/p>\n
\"The security apparatus needs this information so that they
\ncan provide protesters with protection and prevent any intruders
\nor agent provocateur from infiltrating the group,\" Rudini, also
\nformer minister of home affairs, said after addressing a seminar
\non nationalism at the National Resilience Institute.<\/p>\n
He did not think that such a law would tamper with people's
\ndemocratic rights. \"People are free to express their opinions but
\nthey must be done in compliance with regulations,\" he said.
\n(imn\/aan)<\/p>",
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