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AJI Calls Journalists to Monitor the Implementation of Openess of Public Information Law (UU KIP)

Commemorating “The International Right to Know Day [1]” 28 September 2011, Alliance of Independent Journalists (Aliansi Jurnalis Independen/AJI) calls all journalists to monitor the implementation of Opennes of Public Information Law no. 14 of 2008 (Undang-Undang Keterbukaan Informasi Publik/UU KIP) enacted officially since 30 April 2010. 
 
Through the implementation of UU KIP, the public has the right to access information from public bodies – executive, legislative and judicative, as they all received fund from the State budget. 
  
“The implementation of UU KIP bears the consequences that no public body is allowed to refuse or hamper public request for information,” says Nezar Patria, Director of AJI Indonesia. 
 
AJI Indonesia notes that only 9 (nine) Provincial Information Commission (Komisi Informasi Provinsi/KIP) has been established since the official enactment of UU KIP on 30 April 2010; and only one District Information Commission is established in Bangkalan. Meanwhile, most of public bodies are not equipped with Information and Documentation Managing Officers (Pejabat Pengelola Informasi dan Dokumentasi/PPID). This proves that UU KIP is not optimally implemented. 
 
To ensure its effective implementation, AJI calls for all public bodies to comply with the mandate of UU KIP accordingly and consistently. “If needed, AJI would set up a task force of journalists to implement UU KIP in a number of areas to make sure all public bodies in the areas provide information requested by the citizens, including journalists,” says Eko Maryadi who runs Advocacy Division of AJI Indonesia..
 
In relation to the benefit of UU KIP for journalists, AJI Director Nezar Patria adds that the era of open information should improve the quality of Indonesian journalism. 
 
“In the past, State officials often refuse journalists request for public information by hiding behind the reason of “State secret”. Now such answer is no longer acceptable,” says Nezar Patria. Public information should be open to all, as long as it is not categorized under “exempted information.” Nezar calls for all public bodies to comply with the mandate of UU KIP by appointing Information and Documentation Managing Officers and providing information service. 

For journalist who face refusal in accessing information without clear reason, he or she can take legal action such as filing a complaint against Regional or Central Information Commission.
 
“In essence, refusal of public information request by officials or public bodies can be put forward to the court,” says Eko Maryadi from Advocacy Division of   AJI Indonesia.
 
For further information, contact  
1.       Nezar Patria, Director of AJI Indonesia, phone 081182935
2.       Eko Maryadi, Advocacy Division, phone 0811852857

[1] Background : International commemoration of Right to Know Day begins since 28 September 2002 in Sofia Bulgaria in an international conference of defenders of right to access public information. They proposed and then agreed on the dedication of a day to promote freedom of information to the world. The aim of the International Right to Know Day is to raise awareness on the individual rights to access government information and to campaign access to information as human rights.  
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