House seeks input on freedom

House seeks input on freedom

JAKARTA: A House of Representatives (DPR) committee
deliberating the bill on freedom of information is inviting
feedback from officials and activists of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs).

Committee chairman Paulus Widiyanto said on Tuesday that he
hoped his committee would receive some input before going into
recess from March 7 to April 25.

NGOs had been urging legislators to speed up deliberations
because the government was also preparing a bill on state
secrecy.

Paulus pledged that his committee would prioritize the bill on
freedom of information.

"The bill on state secrecy will be reviewed for comparison,"
he told the press after an internal meeting.

Paulus said the committee was planning to visit Gorontalo
Mayoralty, the only area with a regional regulation on freedom of
information. -- JP