Vaudine England, Jakarta – Fresh signs of Government fragmentation came last week with the demand from Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri's office that journalists seek special accreditation to cover her activities.

"It's because the Vice-President's office wants more autonomy from the office of the President," said a member of staff at her press office. Journalists were given a deadline of last Thursday to fill in lengthy forms to obtain a special press card to show when covering vice-presidential events.

The proliferation of such demands shows how fractured the Government has become. No institution appears to trust another, and the Government's authority continues to shrink. The latest demand comes on top of requirements from at least four other parts of Government for different accreditations.

The presidential palace demands presentation of their own press pass, even though these all expired on December 31. President Abdurrahman Wahid's press office appears unable to issue updated versions.

Visiting and resident journalists must secure another press card from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – a relatively painless and efficient process. But several of them have already found that the Foreign Affairs pass does not give them access to presidential press conferences – whereas the expired presidential pass does. If reporters wish to cover events inside the Parliament building, another kind of pass must be secured.

Coverage of events at the armed forces headquarters at Cilangcap requires yet another card. Each one has varying specifications, such as whether the passport photos provided should have red or blue backgrounds.

But not one of these cards is enough to guarantee safe conduct and there is an increasing number of incidents in which journalists fall prey to local power-holders in the provinces who demand further homage before fulfilling the Government's stated policy of press freedom. Nor do any of these cards protect journalists from frequent harassment by military intelligence operatives in far-flung provinces.

The vice-president's press card is a new and sudden demand. It remains to be seen whether it is also intended as a subtle message from her staff that she is readying herself for a greater role.