Broadcasting law takes effect without President's approval
Broadcasting law takes effect without President's approval
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The much criticized broadcasting law has taken effect without
approval of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who refrained from
signing the legislation due to mounting protests against it.
The President's refusal to ink the bill endorsed by the House
of Representatives is unusual, although it does not affect the
legitimacy of the broadcasting law. The amended Constitution
enables a bill to take effect 30 days after its passage with or
without the President's approval.
It was the second time that a broadcasting bill failed to
obtain the presidential nod. The old broadcasting bill endorsed
by the House in 1997 was rejected by President Soeharto. It was
returned to the House, but its redeliberation was not completed
before Soeharto was forced to step down in May 1998.
State Minister for Communication and Information Syamsul
Mu'arif said on Friday Megawati might be reluctant to sign the
law because she was trying to evade the waves of protest from the
society.
He played down the absence of the President's approval, saying
Law No. 32/2002 had in fact come into effect and that Megawati
had asked him to enforce the law.
Legislator Paulus Widianto, who chaired the House special
committee deliberating the broadcasting bill, told The Jakarta
Post whether the law was signed or not made no difference because
the law had been enacted legally and Megawati did order Mu'arif
to execute it immediately.
The broadcasting law had sparked protests from people in the
broadcasting industry from the time it was about to be enacted by
the House last November.
The law is regarded by many as repressive because it gives the
authorities new power to interfere in broadcasting activities,
which could eventually lead to censorship.
In addition, the law mandates the establishment of the
powerful Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), which would
have sweeping powers over the broadcasting industry.
Syamsul said his office had initiated the forming of the KPI
and started drafting complementary government regulations.
"As of Thursday, seven candidates have applied to become KPI
members," Syamsul told a press conference on the broadcasting
law.
According to the office's press release there are at least 131
candidates interested in becoming KPI members. However, they have
not returned their application forms yet.
KPI will have nine members, who will be selected by the House.
The deadline for returning the forms is set for Feb. 28, and a
selection team will then process and submit them to the House on
March 4, before its recess.