Law on statistics passed with significant changes
Law on statistics passed with significant changes
JAKARTA (JP): The bill on statistics was passed yesterday with
significant changes, giving researchers and private pollsters
greater access to statistical information.
The final version of the government-sponsored bill, submitted
to the House of Representatives in December, says that
researchers and private-owned institutions that hold polls will
only need to make general reports to the Board afterward.
Previously, the bill stipulated that researchers and private
pollsters solicit the Statistic Central Board's permit before
conducting any polls.
The changes ensured less bureaucracy, according to State
Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita
during the House's plenary session to endorse the bill.
"The (law) won't curtail any rights of the (institutions) that
conduct statistical activities," he told the session presided
over by J.A. Katili of the Golkar faction.
The bill was previously criticized for striving to regulate
various kinds of polling activities, including those by
researchers.
Ginandjar said the newly-passed law would help people gain
access to statistic information.
The document is a revision of the laws on census and on
statistics. It also changed the name of the Central Bureau of
Statistics to the Statistics' Central Board.
Ginandjar said "the law will not only simplify the access to
information sources at the Statistic Central Board, but also
encourage statistical activities by survey and research by
private companies".
The new law also stipulates that researchers will not have to
report to the Board if the results of their statistical research
are to be used for their own purposes.
Research company, Surindo, welcomed the new law, especially
the section on research activities.
"That means the control from the board over statistical
activities will not be as tight as before," said Ricardi S.
Adnan, marketing manager of Surindo.
The new law also guarantees the right to access statistical
information. It also regulates the rights and responsibilities of
statistic activists and the respondents.
A spokesperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) told
the House that the agreement on research emphasizes that
the Statistical Board is not an agency which issues permits for
statistical research. (12)