Underground media is acceptable, expert says
Underground media is acceptable, expert says
JAKARTA (JP): The growing number of underground publications, dubbed "alternative media", is constitutional and acceptable as long as they use their freedom responsibly, a media observer said yesterday.
Loebby Loqman, a lecturer of criminal law at the University of Indonesia, said that alternative media is in line with the spirit of Article 28 of the 1945 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech.
The Press Law of 1966, which is still in force, also guarantees the freedom to publish, he said in a seminar organized by the Alliance of Independent Journalist in commemoration of this year's National Press Day.
"However, there are legal aspects and social responsibilities which must be observed when publishing such media," he said.
Debates on "alternative media" resurfaced following the closure of the Editor, DeTIK and Tempo weeklies last year. The government's action also triggered endless debates as to the relevancy of the official publishing license.
A legislator from the ruling Golkar group said Wednesday that the government's tight control has forced the public to believe more in rumors than in media publications.
Yesterday's seminar was attended by publishers of several "alternative media" publications, including vocal legislator Sabam Sirait, journalists Amir Daud and Jusril Djalinus, political science lecturer Dwi Susanto and media activist Rachland Nashidik.
Loebby pointed out that despite legal guarantees, the press is still restricted by administrative and criminal regulations as well as by ethical codes and international laws.
"The alternative media is free to say anything it wants. However, as part of the press, it must not violate the law by being slanderous or by exploiting sensational issues," he said.
Sabam, from the House of Representatives' Indonesian Democratic Party faction, said the existence of various unlicensed publications indicates the existence of an excessive concentration of power, where state decisions are made by few people, and the flow of information is controlled.
"However, a better distribution of power can only happen if (major parts of) the society want it. The press cannot force this and can only encourage a more diverse distribution of power through the free flow of information," he said.
Rachland Nashidik from the PIJAR Foundation pointed out that underground papers were nothing new in the country.
"Alternative media have existed since 1980 but, as we see, it requires the banning of three weeklies to bring the problem up to the surface," he said.
Rachland explained that underground publications could not be controlled by the government in the way legal media could. Because of this, the publications have no need to "self-censor" or engage in "self-terrorizing" practices.
Meanwhile, scholar Arief Budiman from the Satya Wacana Christian University in Salatiga, Central Java, criticized the declining social commitment of the press for their tendency to side with those in power.
"The press has become a business industry. The clear consequence of this is that it becomes less responsive to the aspirations of the 'undercurrent' and instead becomes the loudspeaker of its shareholders," he said.
His fellow lecturer George J. Aditjondro said the Indonesian press was currently facing threats of "eroding democratic values" and an increasing domination of business in the press industry.
"Before the press can define its commitment to these two factors, it is nothing more than a toothless tiger," he said.
The Prosperous Labor Union called on the press industry to pay more attention to the welfare of its employees. (har/pwn)