Press Council

Press Council

From Republika

The establishment of the Board of the Press Council for 2000-
2003, on May 17, 2000 in Jakarta is a realization of Law No
40/1999 on Press. This is in line with Article 15: "...in the
framework to develop press freedom and to enhance the national
press life, an independent Press Council shall be set up".

As a follow-up to the establishment of an independent Press
Council which has the function of "protecting" and "developing"
press freedom, it is high time the board eliminated some elements
of the national media which have violated the principle of press
freedom, by being too "free" and going too far so that the
meaning of "press freedom" becomes vague.

There is an increasing tendency to use violence against the
journalistic profession as a result of a lack of understanding of
Law No 40/1999 on press matters and the journalistic code of
ethics. Therefore the establishment of an independent and
professional Press Council is expected to accommodate the
national press as a whole and to encourage them to be free and
responsible as well as independent.

MURDIANTO MS

Jakarta