House opens window for broadcasting bill review<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives (DPR) delayed on Monday its
\nendorsement of the broadcasting bill, allowing for a possible
\nrevision of the much debated draft law.<\/p>\n
Poor attendance was the ostensible reason for the postponement
\nas only 216 of the 496 legislators had signed the attendance list
\nan hour after the plenary session was convened by House deputy
\nspeaker AM Fatwa at 9 a.m.<\/p>\n
There were no signs of disquiet over the bill among the
\nlegislators, but House Speaker Akbar Tandjung admitted that the
\nmounting pressure for changes to the broadcasting bill had
\nresulted in the delay in its endorsement.<\/p>\n
The House Steering Committee will meet on Tuesday to determine
\na new date for a plenary session to endorse the bill.<\/p>\n
The bill was submitted to the House two years ago to replace
\nthe 1997 broadcasting bill, which had been rejected by then
\npresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"If certain parts of the bill spark controversy, we'd better
\ntake the views of the public into consideration. If these views
\nare reasonable, why not?\" Akbar said moments after Fatwa had
\nadjourned the plenary session.<\/p>\n
Various groups have condemned the bill, saying that it gives
\nan excessive role to the government. Others have objected to a
\nnumber of articles which could prejudice their commercial
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
Under the new bill, the government is mandated to participate
\nin the drafting of at least 12 government regulations to put meat
\non the bones of the enacted law.<\/p>\n
About 300 media and broadcasting industry figures staged a
\ndemonstration outside the House chamber while the plenary session
\nwas taking place to reject the passage of the bill.<\/p>\n
The protesters, from the Indonesian Television Broadcasting
\nAssociation (ATVSI) and the Television Community, claimed that a
\nnumber of articles in the bill had the potential to revive
\nrepression of the media and the broadcasting industry.<\/p>\n
From the business perspective, they said the bill would
\ndiscourage investment.<\/p>\n
Under the new bill, radio and television stations would not be
\nallowed to broadcast nationwide, and would only be permitted one
\nchannel in each coverage area. If they wanted to expand the scope
\nof their broadcasts, they would have to collaborate with local
\npartners by setting up networks.<\/p>\n
Akbar, a member of Soeharto's Cabinet when the long-time ruler
\nrefused to sign the 1997 broadcasting bill, said the strong
\nopposition to the bill was proof that it had failed to satisfy
\nthe public's expectations that it would facilitate the media in
\nproviding education, information and entertainment.<\/p>\n
Compared to the 1997 bill, the new broadcasting bill is much
\nmore comprehensive.<\/p>\n
It envisages the setting up of a new institution, the
\nIndonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), which would function as
\nan independent regulatory body.<\/p>\n
The broadcasting commission is designed to accommodate public
\nparticipation and the views of the broadcasting community.<\/p>\n
The enlightened thinking behind the KPI is, however, tainted
\nby the decision of the lawmakers to give the government a role in
\nissuing executory regulations on broadcasting.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the delay, State Minister for Communications and
\nInformation Syamsul Mu'arif said that the government could only
\nfollow the agenda set by the House.<\/p>\n
\"We are waiting for another invitation from the House
\n(regarding the passage of the bill),\" Syamsul said.<\/p>\n
Asked if there was any possibility of the bill being revised,
\nSyamsul stressed that the public had been involved in the debate
\non the bill and already protested against some of its articles.<\/p>\n
Whether or not the views of the public were taken into
\naccount, he said, depended on the legislators.<\/p>\n
The poor attendance during the plenary session has further
\ntarnished the legislature's already battered image. The House's
\nstanding orders stipulate that a plenary session meets the quorum
\nif more than half of the legislators sign the attendance list,
\nregardless of the fact that they are not actually present during
\nthe session.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the special committee for the deliberation of
\nthe broadcasting bill, Paulus Widiyanto, maintained that all of
\nthe factions in the House had approved the bill and that its
\nendorsement was only a matter of time.<\/p>\n
\"Some legislators gave notice that they wouldn't attend as
\nthey had to visit towns outside Jakarta,\" Paulus added.<\/p>\n
One legislator acknowledged that he had received a message via
\nhis cellular phone urging him not to attend the session so as to
\nsupport freedom of information.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI)
\ncalled on the House to drop some of the articles in the bill that
\nendangered press freedom.<\/p>\n
These articles included Article 32 on the issuance of
\nfrequency and broadcasting permits.<\/p>\n
The AJI said that this article contradicted Law No.40\/1999 on
\nthe Press which stipulated that press freedom was a manifestation
\nof the people's sovereignty based on the principles of democracy,
\njustice and the supremacy of law.<\/p>",
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