Yogyakarta won't set up provincial information office

Yogyakarta won't set up provincial information office

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The provincial administration here joined on
Monday the nationwide move to oppose the reported plan to revive
the ministry of information.

Provincial secretary Bambang S.P. said the local
administration would not set up an office of the former ministry
even if the central government decides to reestablish the
institution disbanded by then President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Bambang was speaking to journalists and members of
nongovernmental organizations, who had taken to the streets to
oppose the plan.

Bambang said that the city's stance was in line with the
spirit of regional autonomy. "Every regional administration has
its own authority to establish its own institutions and boards,
regardless of the wishes of central government," he told the
protesters, who gathered in front of the provincial
administration office.

The protesters, grouped under the People's Coalition for the
Freedom of Information (KOMBI), demanded that Yogyakarta's
provincial government reject the possible reestablishment of an
office of the ministry of information in the ancient city.

Bambang promised, however, that he would convey the
aspirations of the protesters to the central government.

KOMBI comprises the local branches of the Alliance of
Independent Journalists (AJI) and the Association of Indonesian
Journalists (PWI), student media, university intellectuals and
local NGOs.

"The ministry of information will always be against democracy
and media freedom, therefore we must oppose every single effort
to reestablish it," chairman of Yogyakarta's office of AJI Raihul
Fadjri said.

"The ambition to reestablish the ministry of information is
against the reform mandate," the chairman of the Yogyakarta
branch of PWI, Octo Lampito, declared.

Meanwhile, the deputy speaker of the provincial council
(DPRD), Nur Achmad Affandi, told protesters that the council had
endorsed a regulation for the establishment of a regional board
of information, which would perform public relations duties in
the provincial administration.

"The board won't have anything to do with efforts to repress
media freedom," he said, assuring protesters.

He also pledged to inform central government and the House of
Representatives (DPR) of their demands.

A similar rally had previously been staged in front of the
office of the provincial legislature council on Jl. Malioboro.

Waving banners and posters, they said the plan (to revive the
ministry of information) was just an effort to kill democracy in
the country.

Amid the uproar against the possibility to revive the ministry
of information, key politicians taking part in the negotiations
to form the cabinet said the issue had never been discussed.

"I guarantee that we will maintain the freedom of the press
and there will be no such things as information ministry or
whatever the name is to restrict the media," a source in the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said.

His counterpart from the National Mandate Party (PAN) agreed,
saying that all political parties supporting President Megawati
would never tolerate the reinstatement of any institution that
restricted the freedom of expression.

"As far as I know there will be no institution to restrict or
suppress the media. If that thing happens we all should stage
rallies against it," the official, speaking in the condition of
anonymity, said. (44/dja)