Free access to info has limits: Megawati
Annastashya Emmanuelle and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
While acknowledging that the people have the right to know what is going on in the government, President Megawati Soekarnoputri said on Monday that some restrictions were still needed to avoid possible abuse of public information.
Speaking before participants of a conference on free access to public information, Megawati argued that the free flow of information should be supported by a set of rules and adequate infrastructure to ensure that public information was not used irresponsibly.
"It's difficult to imagine what would be the extent of social, political and economic destruction when public information is manipulated and used irresponsibly," Megawati said at the State Palace on Monday.
Hundreds of non-governmental organization activists and public relations people as well as government officials are attending the two-day seminar which will end on Tuesday.
Megawati said free access to public information was very important to spur transparency in the government, a requirement in a democratic country and for anticorruption drives.
"For example, people should know the amount of debts we owe to the international community, since they bear the burden of the debts," Megawati said.
Quality information has become a growing need in Indonesia's modern society and therefore information should be easily accessed by the public, she added.
However, Megawati also insisted that the government still reserved the right to keep some information from the public, including state secrets and some information detrimental to public safety.
"We should understand that (the provision of free access to public information) is not without limits," Megawati said.
She was referring to the bill on free access to public information, which the House of Representatives (DPR) will start deliberating when it convenes in May.
The much-awaited bill is to provide greater access for the public to information from the government, which is hoped will promote greater transparency within the government.
Some quarters have expressed concerns that the free access to information bill would be undermined by the bill on state secrecy that the government is still drafting.
Djoko Susilo, the head of the House team drafting the bill on free access to public information, said earlier that the team and the government would cooperate to reach compromises on certain matters which could be excluded from the bill.
Issues to be excluded from the bill include information on military affairs, and other information which could have a detrimental effect on public safety.
She said renewing the country's nationhood required transparency from all sides.