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Before the reform era, there is no press freedom not only in practice but also in the constitution. However, with the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, Chief Justice Moh. Mahfud MD said freedom of the press has been officially secured in the existing provisions of the constitution.

Similarly, a core piece of exposure in a speech delivered by Mahfud followed by a discussion with hundreds of television journalists from a number of regions in Indonesia, Sunday (2/12), at the Millennium Hotel Jakarta. The speech was delivered in the event of the 4th Congress of Indonesian Television Journalists Association titled "Television Journalists in the Age of Media Convergence".

The result of the amendment, further Mahfud, journalists now can feel and enjoy the fruits of change in the 1945 Constitution. "Now we are enjoying the freedom of the press," said Professor of Islamic University of Indonesia.

Mahfud later recounted that before the amendment of the 1945 Constitution had, he has done research which is then written in the dissertation, the doctoral education as a graduation requirement (S3). Among others in his dissertation that examines how Mahfud era practices of the Old Order and the New Order era.

According to him, there was an authoritarian system in the manufacture of products of the conservative legal. Where the law-making is dominated by institutions and people are not unilaterally to be included in making it. "The making was not participatory, and not the will of the people. Interpretation may be too loose but just interpreting government. And the results of research that I completed," said Mahfud MD.

While in the context of freedom of the press, said Mahfud, very conservative legal characters appear once. Because the 1945 Constitution before the amendment, the Act (the Act) in relation to the press just one article. Even then, said Mahfud, in fact authorizes the government to abolish the freedom of the press. "The law to curb the press," he explained.

At that time, Mahfud acknowledged that the presence of the press was castrated and banned for DEVELOPMENT. But for now, journalists have felt the freedom without any restrictions in the constitution. "Now you are free. Because once the reform is done, the law on the press removed then replaced with a new one, "he said.

More than that, Mahfud added, several decisions of the Constitutional Court Act also strengthen the press. The hope, he said, any restraint on freedom of expression can be eliminated. "That’s why we sometimes revoke and cancel the provisions of criminal law book. In fact, we also stated that the seized goods would have to ask for permission to print the court, "he said.

Press Threats 

Unfortunately, Mahfud said, although the rapidly growing freedom of the press, there are a number of threats that arise in the midst of this nation which comes from the state. He said, despite clear rules relating to freedom of the press, there are some government officials who act arbitrarily against the press.

Mahfud also said the next threat comes from capital or capital owners who have the press media. He said, the owners of capital are often distorting the information that should be obtained by the public. And the third is the threat of the community itself.

Then why the number of threats that arise, Mahfud said, because at the time the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, the framers did not forget to include the protection of freedom of the press. "Forget the freedom that there is a threat to press freedom. So do not make protection," said Mahfud ahead to end his presentation. (Shohibul Umam / mh/Yazid.tr)

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