Media pushes for MPR decree on right to info

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)