Agum Gumelar to cancel decree on broadcasting

JAKARTA (JP): Following protests on the infringement of press freedom, Minister of Communications Agum Gumelar agreed on Monday to annul his decree on broadcasting.

In anticipation of an end to government intervention in broadcasting, Agum, however, warned that the public should be ready. "Don't engage in a conflict over it," he remarked in a panel discussion with members of the broadcasting community and print journalists.

The talks, held by the Jakarta-based Voice of Human Rights radio program, focused on the January decree.

The decree No. 04/2000, dated Jan. 26, stipulates the establishment of a directorate general on broadcasting affairs and the issuance of broadcasting licenses to new radio and television stations.

But Agum warned that the annulment of the decree would require "process."

"The most important thing is we have a spirit toward it."

Given that in the future, broadcasting affairs would no longer be regulated by the government, Agum said he would support the establishment of an independent body in place of a directorate general.

When dissolving the ministry of information, President Abdurrahman Wahid said that information affairs should be in the hands of the public.

The minister earlier explained that the decree was based on the necessity to relocate approximately 5,000 employees of the dissolved ministry of information.

Besides, airwave frequencies as a limited resource needed regulation, he said.

Broadcasting journalists have strongly protested the decree, arguing that it would inhibit press freedom and the free flow of information.

Organizers of the one-day talks said that the planned subdirectorate which, among others, would authorize production feasibility and broadcast content evaluation, would have the effect of censorship.

The subdirectorate mentioned in article 27 would also regulate promotion of productions.

Article 47 states that all regulations of the former directorate general of radio, television and film are still effective and are thus "regarded as the reincarnation of the ministry of information," organizers said.

"It is very strange that the Ministry of Communications claims that the set up of the directorate general does not intend to interfere with broadcasting," a media release from Voice of Human Rights said, "while the above clauses obviously state the government's right and opportunity" to do so.

Agum's intention to annul the decree drew a warm response.

"Only frequencies should be regulated, not content," the secretary-general of the Association of Independent Journalists (AJI), Didik Supriyanto, said.

Chairman of the Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) Bambang Wijoyanto said that regulations on broadcasting should wait until the new Press Law was effective. Under the old law, broadcasting was still controlled by the state, he noted.

Bambang added that government officials should communicate their ideas before issuing policies such as the controversial broadcasting decree.

"The government should be open and not arrogant," Bambang said. (08)