Public must monitor bill deliberation

Public must monitor bill deliberation

JAKARTA: Deputy House Speaker Muhaimin Iskandar invited the public on Wednesday to intensively monitor the deliberation of the freedom of information bill.

Muhaimin said that public scrutiny was needed to put pressure on both legislators and the government.

"Legislators often follow the government's proposal if there is no public criticism," Muhaimin said during a hearing with a coalition for freedom of information here.

The coalition visited the House of Representatives (DPR) to convey its concern over the government's plan to propose a bill on state secrecy.

Agus Sudibyo, coordinator of the coalition, meanwhile demanded that the legislators not combine the freedom of information bill with the bill on state secrecy.

He emphasized that the two bills should not be combined because they have different paradigms. - JP