Agencies within new ministry could serve as propaganda agencies vehicle
Agencies within new ministry could serve as propaganda agencies vehicle
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Two bodies established under the Ministry of Communications and
Information could become state propaganda bodies with unchecked
powers if they are not properly regulated, media observers say.
"We are suspicious of the establishment of the two bodies that
might work to merely defend the government interests," Bimo
Nugroho of the Indonesia Broadcasting Commission (KPI) told a
discussion organized by the Institute for Studies on the Free
Flow of Information (ISAI) here on Wednesday.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Jan. 31 issued
regulations to upgrade the status of the office of the state
minister on information into a full-portfolio ministry. These
regulations also create the Directorate General of Communication
Facilities and Information Dissemination, and the Public
Information Agency, both which fall under the ministry.
House of Representatives legislator Djoko Susilo, another
speaker at the seminar, said the jobs of the two bodies could
overlap the KPI's authorities.
"We have to be critical of (information) Minister Sofyan
Djalil so that he won't start acting like Joseph Goebels, the
Nazi German propaganda minister, who only campaigned for the
government. He also should be censured if he takes over the KPI's
authorities," Djoko said.
According to Law No. 32/2002 on broadcasting, the rights to
regulate broadcasters are the KPI's domain.
However, government regulations to implement the law grant the
ministry the power to allocate frequencies to radio and
television broadcasters and issue licenses for electronic media.
At a House hearing recently, Sofyan assured members the power
handed to his ministry would not lead it to emulating the
information ministry under the New Order.
Bimo stressed that in order for the ministry to reach its
technology goals the government should replace its personnel with
electronic media specialists.
"I doubt the capacity and the credibility of the bureaucrats
inside the ministry. If they want to be effective in reaching
their goals in developing ICT (internet communications
technology), the government should consider employing more
credible people," Bimo said.
One audience member questioned Sofyan's qualifications for
leading the ministry.
Sofyan holds a doctorate degree in international financial and
capital market law and policy. Before his appointment to the
Cabinet, he was an independent commissioner of PT Kalbe Farma,
one of the country's pharmacy giants. (006)