Walk out mars debate on broadcast draft law
Walk out mars debate on broadcast draft law
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The deliberation of the controversial broadcasting bill on
Wednesday was marred by an incident when legislator Astrid S.
Susanto of the Indonesian Nationhood Unity Faction (FKKI) walked
out of the conference room in protest against government moves to
make some changes to the bill.
The incident prompted the chairman of the special committee on
the broadcasting bill, Paulus Widiyanto of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), to adjourn the
deliberations until Thursday.
It also further illustrated the gloomy prospects for the
drafting of a more acceptable and better-thought-out broadcasting
law.
"The move of the government to change the bill without
consultation is an abuse of power. That's why I am leaving the
meeting," Astrid said.
She protested the government's move to make changes to the
bill, which had already been agreed upon by a smaller working
group at the end of August.
The changes included the insertion of a controversial article
that would let the government issue decrees to regulate media
syndicates, broadcasting frequencies, foreign media, broadcasting
ranges, technical requirements and advertising.
Responding to the incident, State Minister for Communications
and Information Syamsul Mu'arif said that the government was only
trying to give provide more input for the deliberations.
He revealed that the changes were made to accommodate the
aspirations of the Broadcasting Society following a three-day
hearing with its members.
"If legislators don't want to accommodate the input, we can
continue the discussions without them," said Syamsul, an
executive of the Golkar Party.
The working meeting began at 1.30 p.m., half an hour behind
schedule. The meeting was supposed to discuss more ideas from the
government, but it got tense after several legislators questioned
the government's motive in presenting legislators with a new
bill.
Legislator Bambang Sadono of Golkar also questioned the
inclusion of Article 61 which states that regulations on media
syndicates, frequencies, foreign media, broadcasting ranges,
technical requirements, advertisement would be further regulated
by government decree.
"This is a tricky clause. This is deceitful," Bambang said,
adding that there would have to be deep and serious discussions
before the bill could be endorsed.
Fellow legislator Effendi Choirie of the National Awakening
Party (PKB) said he hoped there would be changes to accommodate
the people's aspirations.
Djoko Susilo of the Reform faction said that the minister
should simply drop some contentious articles to make the
broadcasting bill more acceptable.
He added that the government must also reduce its role in
broadcasting activities.
The involvement of the government in broadcasting should only
concern frequencies. The government must not interfere with
programs, he added.
"I am skeptical that this bill will address those problems,"
he said.
The deliberation of the bill will resume in the next sitting
of the House in November as the House is due to go on a one-month
recess starting this Saturday.