'No need to establish information commission'<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Television industry figures argued on Thursday that disputes
\nbetween the public and the state over access to information
\nshould be solved through the State Administrative Court rather
\nthan an information commission.<\/p>\n
The secretary-general of the Television Community (Komteve)
\norganization, Helmy Johannes, and the secretary-general of the
\nIndonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI), Rahman,
\nsaid that setting up a new commission would be a waste of money.<\/p>\n
"We already have too many commissions. It would be better if
\nthe dispute over information be brought to the State
\nAdministrative Court," Helmy said during a hearing with members
\nof the House of Representatives' special committee for the
\ndeliberation of the freedom of information bill.<\/p>\n
"It would only place an additional burden on the state
\nbudget," Rahman said.<\/p>\n
The television industry figures were invited to provide input
\nfor the legislators in their deliberation of the much-awaited
\nfreedom of information bill.<\/p>\n
Article 29 of the bill states that the proposed information
\ncommission would be an independent body tasked to settle disputes
\nvia mediation or adjudication.<\/p>\n
The information commission would be set up at national,
\nprovincial and regency levels.<\/p>\n
Although opposing the establishment of the information
\ncommission, the television industry figures agreed that there
\nshould be some information exempted from the public domain.<\/p>\n
But, Helmy said, the proportion of information disclosed to
\nthe public must be greater than that exempted from disclosure.<\/p>\n
According to Helmy, the freedom of information bill must
\nensure public access to information.<\/p>\n
The information that could be exempted from the public domain
\nincluded security information, commercial information, and
\ninformation about the location of oil wells.<\/p>\n
In addition to limits on access to specific information, the
\nlegislators are also preparing an official secrets bill to
\nprotect state secrets from the public.<\/p>\n
Activists grouped under the Coalition for Freedom of
\nInformation have expressed fears that the official secrets bill
\nwill affect public access to information, and has repeatedly
\ncalled for this bill to be incorporated into the freedom of
\ninformation bill.<\/p>\n
Despite suggestions from the coalition, the House has decided
\nto discuss the two bills separately.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the House committee in charge of deliberating
\nthe freedom of information bill, Paulus Widiyanto, said recently
\nthat the official secrets bill would be discussed after the
\nfreedom of information bill.<\/p>\n
"A consultative meeting of faction leaders has agreed to
\ndiscuss the secrets bill as soon as the deliberation of the
\nfreedom of information bill has finished," Paulus said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-need-to-establish-information-commission-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}