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)