House passes law on science, technology development

House passes law on science, technology development

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives (DPR) on Monday passed the bill on a
national system of the scientific and technological research,
development and application into law, encouraging efforts to
achieve integrated advancements in the scientific and
technological fields.

The law gained political support from a majority of 330
legislators who attended a plenary session presided over by House
Deputy Speaker Tosari Wijaya here on Monday.

The bill, consisting of nine chapters and 32 articles
regulates that all scientific and technological institutions,
primarily universities, institutes, research centers and
industries should cooperate to help improve the nation's
competitiveness on the international level and to enhance the
people's social welfare as well.

According to the law, scientific and technological
institutions are obliged to organize the provision of human
resources and research as well as the creation of a conducive
climate needed to master science and technology and to develop
them. Research centers have their function to make inventions and
innovations in science and technology while industries are
obliged to utilize the inventions to produce goods and services
to meet the market's demands

However, some articles in the bill were not applicable since
they require supporting regulations to execute.

Responding to this, deputy House speaker Tosari Widjaja
suggested that the government would soon make some new
regulations to complement the law.

"The new law should be equipped with supporting regulations,"
Tosari told the plenary meeting.

Meanwhile, Minister of Research and Technology Hatta Rajasa
said some articles that needed elaboration will be explained on
supporting regulations that would be issued later.

"The additional regulations will be completed within six
months," Hatta said.

He added that in line with the law, the government was obliged
to allocate a certain portion of the annual state budget to
finance all activities related to the research and training
programs to improve the quality of human resources in institutes
and research centers.

Hatta emphasized that the government would not make strict
regulations that discouraged people from carrying out research.
"We will welcome input from all sectors in society," he added.

The minister said he hoped the new law would improve
coordination among universities, research centers and state
companies to create the independence which will encourage great
achievements from local scientists and increase the level of the
nation's self-esteem.

Key articles in the new law

Article 22 (1): The government guarantees the interests of
society, the nation, and the state as well as the harmony between
human beings and the environment.

Article 22 (2): Regarding the above, the government will
administer all licenses for research, development and
implementation of science and technology which is deemed high-
risk and hazardous by national and international standards.

Article 29: Violations of the license as stipulated in article
22 carry administrative penalties, from warnings, to termination
of research and finally a revocation of the license.

Article 30 (1): An individual or institution that commits
violations as stipulated in article 22 without a license faces
six months imprisonment or a Rp 50 million fine.

Article 30 (2): Anyone that commits violations as stipulated
in article 22 and endangers human safety, society's health,
environmental conservation, social harmony or national integrity,
faces criminal penalties or fines in accordance with further
laws.