House urges govt to issue ruling on live TV coverage
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives urged yesterday Minister of Information R. Hartono to issue a ruling on live TV broadcasts.
Hisyam Usamah and Muchlis of the United Development Party (PPP) and Y.B. Wiyanjono of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) told Hartono in a hearing with House Commission I for security, defense and information that the newly enacted Broadcasting Law does not clearly stipulate a live coverage ban imposed on private TV stations.
"It is important to end uncertainty over what sorts of programs private stations are not allowed to broadcast live," Hisyam said.
"Must private TV stations ask for the government's approval to cover accidents live, which are certainly unexpected and unpremeditated events?" he asked.
The three were responding to Hartono's explanation of a live broadcasting ban on Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad's address in a House plenary session on the government's economic reform package on Nov. 10.
It was the third hearing in the House on the controversial ban, after previous sessions with the ministry's secretary- general Tonny Soekaton and top officials of the country's six TV stations last Thursday and this Monday respectively.
Hartono defended the ban yesterday, saying it complied with the Broadcasting Law.
He said the law allows only the state-owned TVRI to broadcast news programs and obliges private stations to relay the programs.
"The Ministry of Information and TVRI will allow private stations to broadcast a news program live if they have met certain requirements," Hartono said.
He said the government did not intend to restrict the public's right to know about state events such as a House hearing with government officials.
Transparency
"Transparency is all that we are promoting, but of course there is certain information which does not necessarily go to the public. A House meeting with the government deals with politics, so not all parts of the session can be relayed to people," Hartono said.
However, he agreed to involve individual legislators in drawing up a government regulation on live broadcasts "to make sure that the new ruling will not cause different interpretations".
Some House legislators also demanded that Hartono start deliberation to amend the 1982 Press Law which they said gives the government the legal basis for a press ban.
A ministerial decree issued by Hartono's predecessor Harmoko in 1984 allows the government to revoke publication licenses for either administrative offenses or contents which harm national interest.
Golkar legislator Ansel da Lopez questioned the validity of the decree because the Press Law does not specifically stipulate the press ban.
Hartono said the government was considering a review of the law, the deliberation of which is pending research now being conducted by the Press Council.
"Some contents of the law will be dropped because they no longer fit the current situation. We may revoke the press ban ruling, but we must establish new regulations to prevent substantial offenses," Hartono said.
He said the government wished to maintain a clause which bans any contents linked with communism and another which stipulates 20 percent minimum possession by employees of a publishing company. (amd)