PWI, SPS oppose new press rulings

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI) and the Association of Indonesian Publishers (SPS) have joined forces in calling on the government to annul a newly issued decree allowing it to freeze errant media's publishing licenses for an unspecified period of time.

The organizations claim the ruling -- replacing the controversial ministerial decree which effectively sanctioned press bans as it allowed former president Soeharto's regime to revoke publishing licenses -- is open to numerous interpretations and in many ways similar to the previous decree.

In a statement yesterday the two organizations said Article 23 of the new Minister of Information Decree No. 1/1998 should be annulled.

Critics say the vague formulation allows the government to issue suspensions for indefinite periods.

Meanwhile, ParOn tabloid and the Bandung Pos daily separately announced yesterday they would cease publication as of today.

Bandung Pos blamed the monetary crisis, skyrocketing production costs and the fact that 90 percent of subscribers, who are government offices, defaulted on their subscriptions.

ParOn managing editor Agus Basri said in a statement that the decision to close was made in an editorial staff meeting after its investor Mohamad "Bob" Hasan decided to pull out.

ParOn's last edition bore the front cover headline Tanah Keluarga Cendana Seluas Jakarta (Cendana Family's Land is as Large as Jakarta), referring to alleged business holdings of the Soeharto clan. (rms/43)