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