Susilo, Mega hazy on press freedom<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Campaign workers for the two remaining presidential candidates,
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Megawati Soekarnoputri, expressed on
\nTuesday what appeared to be only lackluster support for press
\nfreedom.<\/p>\n
"Our government will ask judges and prosecutors to apply the
\nPress Law when dealing with cases involving the media," Susilo-
\nKalla campaign spokesman Alwi Hamu told a discussion on press
\nfreedom on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He regretted the fact that judges and prosecutors had often
\nopted to apply the Criminal Code rather than the Press Law in
\ncases where journalists found themselves in dispute with
\ngovernment officials or businesspeople.<\/p>\n
The prosecution recently demanded a two-year jail term for two
\njournalists and the chief editor of Tempo magazine for allegedly
\ninciting public unrest and defaming businessman Tomy Winata.<\/p>\n
Last year, two journalists received suspended jail terms for
\n"insulting" President Megawati Soekarnoputri and House of
\nRepresentatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung respectively.<\/p>\n
Alwi asserted that while press freedom needed to be upheld,
\njournalists tended to overlook what he claimed were their social
\nresponsibilities.<\/p>\n
"It must be admitted that the Press Law provides the press
\nwith unfettered freedom. As a result, judges and prosecutors have
\nfound difficulties in protecting people from being subjected to
\ntrial by the press," he argued.<\/p>\n
He said he favored a review of the law so as "to strengthen
\nthe press as an institution".<\/p>\n
He also pledged that the Susilo-Kalla ticket, if elected,
\nwould recognize the pivotal role played by the press.<\/p>\n
"We realize that many government policies will be challenged
\nby the legislature. Therefore, we place a lot of hope in the
\npress," he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo's Democratic Party won only 57 out of the 550 seats in
\nthe House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Separately, the second secretary of the Mega-Hasyim Muzadi
\ncampaign team, Halim Mahfudz, said that Mega and Hasyim were
\nimpressed by the First Amendment to the United States
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
"However, it should be remembered that Indonesia is different
\nfrom the U.S.," said Halim.<\/p>\n
He said the press needed to be regulated to enable it to play
\nan effective role in the country. However, he declined to
\nelaborate on how exactly this would be done.<\/p>\n
Apart from the Press Law, Article 28 (e) and (f) of the Second
\nAmendment to the Constitution on freedom of information also
\nenshrines the principle of freedom of the press.<\/p>\n
By contrast, the government has failed to revoke at least
\nseven regulations that threaten press freedom.<\/p>\n
Among them are certain articles of the Criminal Code,
\nespecially those concerning defamation, Law No. 32\/2002 on
\nbroadcasting which permits government censorship, Law No. 4\/1999
\non bankruptcy, which states that a press outlet may be declared
\nbankrupt if it creates public anxiety.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the dialog, senior member of the Press Council
\nSabam Leo Batubara said that neither of the campaign team
\nrepresentatives had presented a clear vision for the future of
\npress freedom in Indonesia.<\/p>",
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