Plan to revive information ministry opposed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of journalists staged a rally in front
\nMerdeka Selatan Palace on Friday urging President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri to abandon reported plans to revive the Ministry of
\nInformation which was dissolved by her predecessor in 1999.<\/p>\n
Grouped under the Indonesian Press Community (KPI), the
\nprotesters unfurled posters and banners charging that the
\npurported plan would only result in government control of the
\npress and freedom of expression.<\/p>\n
"This eagerness to reinstate the ministry is an effort to
\ncontrol freedom of the press, as had been done by the then
\nministry of information during the New Order era," said Santoso,
\na senior member of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI).<\/p>\n
The journalists went to the palace to convey their concern to
\nMegawati who still uses the vice presidential office despite her
\nappointment as the country's new president. However, they could
\nnot meet with her as she was on a two-day visit to Bandung and
\nSouth Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The plan to reestablish the information ministry was
\nreportedly revealed by chairman of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction at the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) Arifin Panigoro.<\/p>\n
Arifin said the ministry should be reestablished to meet the
\nchallenge of information technology, as well as to convey
\ngovernment policy.<\/p>\n
The plan was reportedly accepted by five major political
\nparties, including the former ruling Golkar Party.<\/p>\n
Several names had been mentioned as likely candidates for the
\ninformation minister post, including Golkar politician Marwah
\nDaud Ibrahim.<\/p>\n
"We strongly reject any attempt to revive the Ministry of
\nInformation and any effort to regulate information," the
\njournalists remarked.<\/p>\n
Soon after his election in October 1999, then president
\nAbdurrahman Wahid abolished the Ministry of Information and
\nMinistry of Social Services.<\/p>\n
The decision won domestic and international praise as the
\nMinistry of Information was seen as an instrument by the Soeharto
\ngovernment to censor political criticism against his rule.<\/p>\n
The ministry was responsible for banning newspapers and
\nmagazines, including Tempo weekly in 1994.<\/p>\n
It also obliged journalists to join the Indonesian Journalists
\nAssociation (PWI) as the sole organization for press people.<\/p>\n
Besides AJI, The Indonesian Journalist Associations of Reform
\n(PWI Reformasi), Institute for the Studies on Free Flow of
\nInformation (ISAI) and the Press and Broadcasting Society (MPPI)
\nalso joined Friday's rally.<\/p>\n
The journalists arrived mostly from radio stations and the
\nprint media.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, the local branch of AJI also expressed its
\nobjection to the plan.<\/p>\n
In a written statement signed by its chairman Raihul Fadjri,
\nthe organization said Arifin's statement was a result of blunt
\nignorance towards people's right to information.<\/p>\n
"The government's policies do not need to be publicized by a
\nministry of information. During Gus Dur's government, they could
\nflow into the public domain without the existence of a ministry
\nof information," the statement said. (jun\/swa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/plan-to-revive-information-ministry-opposed-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}