Jakarta – Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono says the public need not worry about the State Secrecy Bill, citing democratic progress.
"There will always be a countervailing force from civil society groups and the media," he said Thursday at a discussion at the Press Council.
The bill has met with heavy opposition from NGOs and the media, who say its definition of state secrets is vague. The Press Council reiterated demands that the passage of the bill be delayed or that a large part of its content be heavily revised.
Controversial contents include article 6, which includes as a state secret "information regarding the allocation of the budget and its spending, and the appropriate government assets for the purpose of national security".
The article also says information on "details of the structure" of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the deployment and salaries of its members are state secrets, but not export data and information on weaponry.
"I'm intrigued about whether the state is allowed to keep such information confidential," Agus Sudibyo, a researcher on press issues, said at the discussion.
The United Nations rules that any information on export and import of weaponry is to be made transparent, he added.
Juwono said the bill was urgent, given today's continuous, cross-border traffic of communication.
Apart from security affairs, state interests also include economic competition, he said, pointing out that under the bill, documents of trade negotiations would also be classified as state secrets.
One business editor pointed out that with "studies conducted by the government for the specific purpose of national economic interest" to also be classified as state secrets, the media would not even be able to quote data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
In response to criticism that the articles were subject to different interpretations, Juwono said laws must cater to all interests.
The University of Indonesia professor said the modern state was less powerful than media moguls. And given advances in technology, he said, "We hold no illusions that we can keep all things secret."
Agus said several groups had urged the government to return to the earlier draft on state cryptology, initiated by the State Cryptology Agency of the past New Order regime, or draw up a new bill limited to "strategic information".
Press Council deputy chairman S. Leo Batubara said the bill contradicted President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's pledge to fight for clean governance.
Legislators said last month the bill was unlikely to be passed before the end of their term on Sept. 30. But in two weeks, the House managed to speed up its deliberations. (hdt)