BPS defends statistics bill to regulate surveys
BPS defends statistics bill to regulate surveys
JAKARTA (JP): The Chairman of the National Statistics Agency
(BPS), Sugito, yesterday defended the government-sponsored draft
law on statistics and said it would not restrict surveying
activities.
The proposed law would require private institutions and
individuals to report if they intend to conduct a survey, he
said.
"They will only be required to report, not to seek an approval
from BPS as many people have feared," he was quoted by Antara as
saying, responding to growing controversy about Article 15 of the
draft law.
Although the draft law has not yet been submitted to the House
of Representatives, it has drawn sharp criticism from the public,
especially from private companies and individuals that would have
to report any plans to gather statistical data to BPS.
Critics said the government-sponsored bill is meant to curb
unauthorized polling and surveying about the results of next
May's general elections.
The fear is understandable because the government recently
asked the House to see that the law was in place at least one
month before the election.
Under the proposed law, government agencies will also be
required to inform BPS if they want to carry out surveys.
However, private or government institutions making surveys for
internal purposes, or for educational and scientific development,
will not be required to report.
"Government agencies are also required to report. This is
important to avoid overlapping," Sugito said.
He said the requirement to report surveying plans did not mean
the government would restrict surveying activities.
However, Sugito acknowledged that surveyors would not be asked
to report only survey plans but also to disclose the purpose of
the study and their data gathering methods.
He said individuals and private institutions that did not
report their survey activities would face a maximum fine of Rp 25
million (US$10,600) or one year jail.
The current statistics law, which was enacted in 1960, is no
longer adequate to meet the rapid changes in statistical
activities, he said. (hen)