Beware of disinformation

Beware of disinformation

From Rakyat Merdeka

One of the bills that has recently triggered a polemic is the
intelligence bill. Members of the elite, political activists,
experts and even Vice President Hamzah Haz have made their
comments on the matter.

The controversy started when Deputy Chief of the National
Intelligence Agency (BIN) As'ad Said told the antiterrorism bill
special committee of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Feb.
21 that BIN needed to be authorized to arrest and detain those
believed to commit acts of terrorism for a specified period as a
preventive measure.

In a democratic state, raising such an issue as a public
discourse is only proper, and after being studied by society, the
legislative body will weigh all the pros and cons. But when the
issue turns into a sort of disinformation campaign, it could have
a negative impact by spoiling the minds of laymen.

This happened when Abdul Gani, the director general of
legislation at the ministry of justice, was surprised to hear the
claim made by Rachland Nasihil, program director of the
Indonesian Human Rights Watch, that he had received the
intelligence bill, which he described as substantially violating
human rights. Munir, its executive director, also
enthusiastically discussed the contents of the bill.

Vice President Hamzah Haz, commenting that this bill could
restrict the freedom of critical activists, promptly instructed
his United Development Party (PPP) faction in the DPR to reject
it. Meanwhile, the DPR Commission I had no knowledge of the
presence of the bill, and the BIN deputy chief himself said his
agency had not yet drafted such a bill.

Therefore, the draft, as exposed by Munir and associates, was
as yet unclear and the public should watch out for any possible
disinformation.

ANDI BASSO
Manila, Philippines