Chairman Of Commission I DPR: Draft Broadcasting Bill Doesn't Yet Exist

JAKARTA - Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives, Meutya Hafid, stated that the revision of the Broadcasting Law would not include articles that suppress press freedom. Moreover, Meutya said that the draft of the Broadcasting Law also does not exist.

"Nothing and there has never been enthusiasm or intention from Commission I of the DPR to reduce the role of the Press. The current Broadcasting Bill does not yet exist, what is currently circulating is a draft that may appear in several versions and is still very dynamic," Meutya told reporters, Thursday, May 16. "As a draft, of course the writing is not perfect and tends to be multiple interpretations," he continued. The Golkar politician emphasized that the current draft stages of the Broadcasting Bill are still in the Legislation Body. Which means there has been no discussion with the government.

Commission I of the DPR, said Meutya, still opens the widest possible space for various inputs from the public. Of course, after becoming a bill, it will be officially announced to the public.

"The DPR Commission I's internal meeting on May 15, 2024, yesterday agreed that the DPR Commission I Broadcasting Committee should re-learn inputs from the public," he said.

Meutya added, Commission I of the DPR will continue to open wide space for various inputs, support discussion and discourse for the Broadcasting Bill as input for the discussion of the Broadcasting Bill. "So far, contact with Commission I partners of the DPR, namely the Press Council since Prof. Bagir, Prof. Nuh and the late Prof. Azyumardi is a synergistic and complementary relationship, including in the birth of Publisher Rights. Commission I of the DPR realizes that the sustainability of a healthy medium is important," he said. Previously, the Press Council and the entire press community firmly rejected the contents of the draft Law on Broadcasting. This bill is an initiative of the DPR which is planned to replace Law Number 32 of 2002 concerning Broadcasting.

"We reject the Broadcasting Bill. We respect the plan to revise the Broadcasting Law but question the Press Law Number 40 of 1999 which is not included in the consideration of the Broadcasting Bill," said Chairman of the Press Council, Dr. Ninik Rahayu, at a press conference at the Press Council Office, Jakarta, Tuesday, May 14.