Hamzah wants media 'controlled'

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Presidential candidate Hamzah Haz said on Tuesday that if elected president he would bring back the controversial ministry of information to control the media.

He said the media should not be given unlimited freedom because that led to stories that were harmful to the nation.

There is currently an Office of the State Minister for Communications and Information. However, unlike the former ministry of information the state minister's office does not have the power to issue and revoke publication licenses.

This power over licenses was used by the ministry during the New Order to control the media. -- Antara