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)