Jakarta – For the sake of democracy, the Press Council has asked the government to cancel its plan to revise Law No. 40 of 1999 on the press because it could restore the government's control over the mass media.

Bambang Harymurti and Abdullah Alamudi, members of the council, said Tuesday it was important to preserve the freedom of the press gained during the reform era. Bambang said it was essential to protect the freedom of the press.

Abdullah said, "In a democratic country, the government doesn't have the right to interfere with the public's affairs". "And the press is a part of the public."

It has been widely reported over the past two months the Information and Communication Ministry was planning to revise the Press Law. The ministry was to insert articles which would allow the government to close down any mass media company that violated those articles.

In the new bill, paragraph 2 of article 4 stipulates the government has the right to shut down media companies that publish news or pictures which are unethical, threaten national security or disparage certain religions.

Some activists fear a revision of the law would take the country back to the authoritarian rule that existed in the Soeharto period when the media was under tight censorship control and any criticism of the government was made difficult.

Abdullah said the revision of the Press Law was not really urgent. "(The law) isn't perfect, but it's the best (press law) in our country's history," he said. "As long as the government controls the press, it will only have one news source, which is the government."

The new bill also stipulates in paragraph 4 of article 9, the prerequisite to founding a media company is government permission.

In a democratic country, the press is supposed to act as a watchdog, or functions as the Fourth Estate, for the government – the legislative, executive and judicial branches. "The press should be controlled by the public because it is the extension of the public's hands," Abdullah said.

The government did not need to control the press as the public itself would choose the most reputable media, while the "rubbish" would not survive, he said.

According to Press Council data, only 30 percent of the media in Indonesia is making profit.

"Since the reform era in 1998, more than 1,000 publications have ceased," Abdullah said. "Compare that to 57 years of both Soekarno and Soeharto, when 400 publications were closed down. The public isn't stupid," he said.

Legal expert Bambang Widjojanto said the government had the right to draft a bill on the press as long as it did not threaten the freedom of the press.

"The press plays an important role in checks and balances," Bambang said. "The public also needs the freedom of the press so people (have access to) important and relevant information."

Koesparmono Irsan, former member of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), said the freedom of the press was a part of the people's sovereignty and it was very important the government guaranteed it.

Djadjat Sudradjat, deputy news director of Media Indonesia daily, said the media was currently facing a systematic threat from the legislative, executive and judicial branches. "The press might need the help of a legal aid center," Djadjat said.