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)