Radio frequency abuse rampant in Indonesia

Radio frequency abuse rampant in Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): The use of radio frequencies is so undisciplined
here that there is a strong impression among foreign users that
the situation is in a mess, the city branch's leader of a radio
communication organization said.

Dharma Nasution, who chairs the Association of Indonesian
Radio Communications Users' city branch, said yesterday that to
wipe out this unfavorable image, the association aims to
discipline the use of radio frequencies.

Improper use leads to noisy, disturbed frequencies.

The operation team will also include personnel from the
Ministry of Post, Tourism and Telecommunications' city office,
with help from the police, he said.

Violators face revocation of their permits. However, the
problem is that most users are unregistered, Dharma said after
the official installment of the association's new leadership
board at City Hall.

"Only 1,700 users are listed as members, while there are some
20,000 users in Jakarta alone," he said.

He said the figure may even include staff members of district
and subdistrict offices.

Another reason is that walkie-talkies are sold illegally at
shopping centers such as Harco in West Jakarta, he said.

"Decree number 92, issued in 1994 from the Directorate General
of Post and Telecommunications, states that walkie-talkies may
only be bought through the association's cooperative," Dharma
said.

According to the decree, licenses for radio communications are
only issued if the applicant is a member of the association.

"Our short-term program will be arranged to comply with the
National Discipline Movement on radio users," Dharma said. The
campaign was launched nationwide by President Soeharto last year.

He said the procedures to become a member of the association
are simple and will cost Rp 135,000 for the applicant to secure a
license.

Due to the growing number of unregistered users, the
government suffers a loss of Rp 52,000 per member in radio tax
every two years, Dharma said.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said the association should step up
control and supervision of radio frequency use.

In his address, read by Idroes, the deputy governor for
governmental affairs, Surjadi stated that the association is
expected to support public interests, including emergency
situations, and city policies.

"I hope the association will play a significant role in
supporting the National Games in September, as well as the 1997
national election," the governor stated.

Besides Dharma, the association's executive board includes
Bambang R. Sugomo, head of the advisory council, and deputies Lt.
Col. Alief Karnadi and J.T. Matondang.

Eddy Nalapraya, a former deputy governor who now chairs the
association's central board, also attended the ceremony. (anr)