Crackdown on laser discs questioned

Crackdown on laser discs questioned

JAKARTA (JP): An operation against uncensored laser discs, proposed to begin later this month, has been received with mixed feelings by retailers, rental operators and the public.

Contacted by The Jakarta Post on Saturday, some of the sources halfheartedly supported the plan with weak arguments, while others questioned possible reasons behind the policy.

Most of the sources believe that the policy, to be followed with a massive operation to seize uncensored laser discs after the April 28 deadline, will cause a significant drop in the business for several months.

Hendrick from the Disc Tara store, one of Jakarta's biggest laser disc shops, with a number of outlets in the city, said, "Although it will severely affect our earnings, we have nothing to complain about, as long as the authorities do their work properly and regularly."

An executive of a laser disc rental store and shop on Jl. Haji Agus Salim in Central Jakarta questioned the authorities' plan and hoped the authorities would review the policy.

"In my opinion, it doesn't make sense, except to push people to do illegal things, such as selling or renting the laser discs illegally," he said.

According to the plan, the City Film Control Agency will launch a massive operation against all uncensored laser discs, mostly foreign movies, at all 154 legal laser disc and video stores in and around the city.

Head of the agency, Semyon Sinulingga, has also indicated that the operation can be extended to residential houses believed to be keeping or using uncensored laser discs for their own use.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Semyon urged city residents to register their laser discs at the city office of trade affairs, in order to classify their categories for viewers.

"If they fail to meet the deadline we'll launch on-the-spot checks on the laser discs," said Semyon, who is also head of the city's chapter of the Ministry of Information.

Each laser disc film title will be carefully studied by members of the Film Censorship Institute, formerly called the Film Censorship Board, before deciding whether or not the film can be watched.

Films passing censorship will be classified into three categories, which are, 17 years of age and over, parental guidance recommended and general.

Data at Semyon's office shows that, as of last week, a total of 364 film titles have been submitted to the institute for censorship. Of that number, 230 titles have passed censorship.

The 364 titles represent a total of 42,675 copies currently distributed at the city's laser disc retailers and rental stores.

Currently, laser discs are sold at between Rp 100,000 and Rp 200,000 (US$45 and $90) each and rented at between Rp 5,000 and Rp 10,000 each.

People found guilty of possessing uncensored laser discs will face a maximum of five years imprisonment or be fined Rp 50 million.

Affandi, 46, a laser disc collector and regular customer of rental stores, said "I'd like to suggest that the government drop this idea because their reason doesn't make sense even to low-educated people."

According to Semyon, the censorship is expected to protect the public from any negative impact which may arise from the discs, which are not in line with the guidelines and objectives of the country's film industry.

The censorship is also expected to maintain the cultural values of the nation, as well as monitor the community's appreciation of films being circulated.

Affandi replied: "Please tell me a single, positive impact, if any, that local films have given audiences."

"The only thing I know is that the films only stop people from broadening their creativity," he said. (bsr)