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