Free access to info has limits: Megawati

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.