Press bodies want single bill on information, state secrecy
Press bodies want single bill on information, state secrecy
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) and the Press
Council put forth a demand to the House of Representatives (DPR)
on Monday to integrate the freedom of information and the state
secrecy bills into one proposed law to prevent disharmony.
A combined bill would allow for greater freedom of
information, they said.
Although the two bills were all drafted by the legislators,
the two bills contain conflicting articles.
The freedom of information bill was designed to ensure the
public access to information, while the state secrecy bill would
cancel out that access in many cases.
Press Council chairman Atmakusumah Astraatmadja and PWI
chairman Tarman Azzam were of the opinion that if a merger of the
bills was not possible, then at least the House should deliberate
the two draft laws simultaneously to prevent conflicts in the
rulings.
Also speaking at the hearing were Leo S. Batubara of the Press
Council and R.H. Siregar and Bambang Sadono of PWI. They were
invited to give advice to the House on the deliberation of the
freedom of information bill.
While deliberation of the freedom of information bill has
started, the state secrecy bill remains untouched.
Since the freedom of information bill also limits public
access to information declared as state secrets, the legislators
also invited State Intelligence Agency (BIN) head Lt. Gen. (ret)
A.M. Hendropriyono to give his input.
R.H. Siregar warned legislators that the freedom of
information bill could hamper the existing press freedom.
Meanwhile, Leo questioned the frame of mind among the
legislators when drafting the bills.
Batubara and other pro-reform activists had criticized some
articles in the freedom of information bill that allow state
officials to declare certain information classified.
They said such a stipulation would cause the freedom of
information bill to become meaningless.
Batubara said the use of other legislation as a reference
could halt the effective implementation of the freedom of
information bill.
The information bill recognizes some exceptions for
information disclosure.
Among the information restricted from the public is that which
could affect law enforcement, endanger witnesses and officers,
halt an investigation, affect protection of property rights,
compromise national defense and interfere with people's privacy.
Controversial articles in freedom of information bill
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- Article 5 stipulates that users of public information have an
obligation not to misuse information as related to this law and
other laws.
- Article 6 (1), on the other hand, says that public offices have
the right to refuse to disclose information if it falls into the
category of information excluded by this and other laws.
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