Media pushes for MPR decree on right to info<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Members of the media, bolstered by legislators
\nand researchers, are campaigning to have the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) issue a decree during its special
\nsession on the right to information and freedom of the press.<\/p>\n
Activists from the Indonesian Press Society (MPI) submitted
\ntheir draft decree with the regional representatives faction at
\nthe Assembly on Monday, Antara reported, in the hope that the
\nlegislators would deliberate on the decree and adopt it.<\/p>\n
Delegation leader Leo Batubara emphasized the importance of a
\ndocument protecting the freedom of the press, as well as
\nsupervising and preventing any deviations from the nation's
\ndevelopment goals.<\/p>\n
\"The press has yet to give a satisfactory contribution toward
\nthe campaign to educate and develop the people because the New
\nOrder regime had restrained it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the existing laws could not adequately protect the
\nfreedom of the media. \"The ideal situation would be if the law
\ngives 50 percent protection for freedom of the press, and the
\nother 50 percent to protect the people and the government.\"<\/p>\n
He called on Assembly members to become \"the voice of the
\npeople\" and issue a decree on freedom of the press.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, political researcher Syamsuddin Haris agreed that
\nthe public should now be given as wide an access as possible to
\ninformation. The special session is therefore the appropriate
\nvenue to campaign for the issue, he said, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
The campaign to have the Assembly pass a decree on the freedom
\nof information was also taken up by members of the media during
\nits meeting with legislators of the United Development Party
\n(PPP) faction last Thursday.<\/p>\n
The submitted decree consists of five chapters which seek to
\nregulate the people's rights to access to information, the
\nfreedom to express their work and opinion, and the government's
\nobligation to protect the rights of the people to communicate and
\nobtain information.<\/p>\n
The document also seeks to abolish all laws and regulations
\nthat obstruct the freedom of the press.<\/p>\n
Syamsuddin said, \"I support the campaign for freedom to
\ninformation to be deliberated at the special session.\"<\/p>\n
Golkar legislator Tarman Azzam, who is also the new chairman
\nof the Indonesian Journalists Association, promised to fight for
\nthe cause during the special session. He said he would coordinate
\nwith fellow journalists cum legislators to establish the issue as
\nan MPR decree, or have it included in the MPR discussion on human
\nrights.<\/p>\n
Similar support was given by PPP legislator Usamah Hisyam, who
\nsaid his faction would fight to have the issue included as part
\nof the agenda of the special session. (swe)<\/p>",
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