Media pushes for MPR decree on right to info

JAKARTA (JP): Members of the media, bolstered by legislators and researchers, are campaigning to have the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) issue a decree during its special session on the right to information and freedom of the press.

Activists from the Indonesian Press Society (MPI) submitted their draft decree with the regional representatives faction at the Assembly on Monday, Antara reported, in the hope that the legislators would deliberate on the decree and adopt it.

Delegation leader Leo Batubara emphasized the importance of a document protecting the freedom of the press, as well as supervising and preventing any deviations from the nation's development goals.

"The press has yet to give a satisfactory contribution toward the campaign to educate and develop the people because the New Order regime had restrained it," he said.

He said the existing laws could not adequately protect the freedom of the media. "The ideal situation would be if the law gives 50 percent protection for freedom of the press, and the other 50 percent to protect the people and the government."

He called on Assembly members to become "the voice of the people" and issue a decree on freedom of the press.

Meanwhile, political researcher Syamsuddin Haris agreed that the public should now be given as wide an access as possible to information. The special session is therefore the appropriate venue to campaign for the issue, he said, as quoted by Antara.

The campaign to have the Assembly pass a decree on the freedom of information was also taken up by members of the media during its meeting with legislators of the United Development Party (PPP) faction last Thursday.

The submitted decree consists of five chapters which seek to regulate the people's rights to access to information, the freedom to express their work and opinion, and the government's obligation to protect the rights of the people to communicate and obtain information.

The document also seeks to abolish all laws and regulations that obstruct the freedom of the press.

Syamsuddin said, "I support the campaign for freedom to information to be deliberated at the special session."

Golkar legislator Tarman Azzam, who is also the new chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association, promised to fight for the cause during the special session. He said he would coordinate with fellow journalists cum legislators to establish the issue as an MPR decree, or have it included in the MPR discussion on human rights.

Similar support was given by PPP legislator Usamah Hisyam, who said his faction would fight to have the issue included as part of the agenda of the special session. (swe)