Govt urges the House to revise press law

Govt urges the House to revise press law

JAKARTA: The government urged the legislature to take the lead in
revising Law No.40/1999 on the press, to avoid mistaken
perceptions that the government is trying to restrict press
freedom.

State Minister for Information and Telecommunications Syamsul
Muarif said on Tuesday that there was a growing perception that
the authorities were trying to restrict press freedom.

"To avoid any wrong perceptions, the House, which represents
the people, should take the lead in revising the law," he said
during a hearing with the House's security and foreign affairs
commission on Tuesday.

He said that the government was aware there were many
loopholes in the existing law regarding the ethics of reporting.

Legislator Joko Susilo said that there was no reason for the
government to be afraid should there be a real need to revise the
law.--Antara