More hearings on info bill sought

JAKARTA: Legislators with the special committee deliberating the freedom of information bill have invited media figures and state intelligence officials to attend hearings to collect more input on the bill.

Paulus Widiyanto, the chairman of the special committee, said on Thursday that the hearings were needed to make the bill acceptable to the public.

Speaking after a closed-door meeting, Paulus of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said that the hearing with media figures had been set for May 13 and May 14 with the intelligence officials.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who chairs PDI Perjuangan, recently demanded that officials who leaked state secrets be dismissed.

Many perceive the statement as the President's reluctance to allow public access to information.

PDI Perjuangan has 153 seats at the 500-member House. -- JP