Yunus unafraid of abuse of press freedom<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus does not
\nshare the fears of some of his colleagues about the behavior of
\nthe Indonesian press in acting on their newfound freedom.<\/p>\n
\"Some people are concerned about press freedom. I'm not one of
\nthem,\" Yunus, whose job includes overseeing the broadcast and
\nprint media, was quoted by Antara as saying on Friday.<\/p>\n
He was speaking after signing a cooperation agreement with
\nNational Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi in dealing with crime in
\nthe press, television and film industry.<\/p>\n
Many government officials, including President B.J. Habibie,
\nhave expressed concern that members of the press are abusing
\ntheir freedom and exacerbating the economic and political crisis.<\/p>\n
Yunus, an Army lieutenant general, admitted law enforcement in
\nthe print and broadcast media remained weak, but dismissed the
\nsuggestion press freedom could destroy the nation.<\/p>\n
\"Weak enforcement of laws, however, can destroy a nation,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
He promised the government would use legal channels in dealing
\nwith press establishments which overstepped the legal boundaries.<\/p>\n
He recalled that in the previous administration of president
\nSoeharto, the government wielded the power to close down a
\nnewspaper or magazine by revoking its publishing license.<\/p>\n
This policy no longer existed, he said. \"Ours is not a state
\nbased on power. Any problem, including those in the mass media
\nsector, should be settled by legal means.\"<\/p>\n
All laws regulating the three industries were enacted during
\nthe repressive Soeharto regime. The Indonesian press is regulated
\nby a 1982 law, the broadcasting industry by a 1997 law and the
\nfilm industry by a 1992 law.<\/p>\n
The government and the House of Representatives are working on
\nchanging the laws, and will likely come up with a single piece of
\nlegislation regulating the printing and broadcasting media.<\/p>\n
One of Yunus' first acts upon taking charge of the information
\nministry in May was to revoke the controversial ministerial
\nregulation empowering his predecessors to rescind publishing
\nlicenses of newspapers and magazines.<\/p>\n
Yunus also simplified the formerly involved process to obtain
\npress licenses; his office has since issued more than 200
\nlicenses for new magazines and newspapers.<\/p>\n
In the wake of greater freedom, officials have been alarmed by
\nsome of the new tabloids which have exploited scandals in high
\nplaces, often accompanied by sensational banner headlines. (emb)<\/p>",
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