Officials in Batam, Riau Islands, say that Era Baru Radio will remain off the air, despite a court decision clearing the way for the station to resume broadcasting Falun Gong teachings.
BatamRadio Frequency Spectrum Monitoring Center(Balmon) chief Mohammad Sopingi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that he was not aware of the Supreme Court decision on Aug. 29 that upheld Era Baru Radio's right to broadcast on a frequency that was earlier reassigned to Sing FM Radio.
"The Supreme Court does not know that Era Baru Radio is illegal. How can a radio station illegally air programs and then file a lawsuit contesting the legitimate issue of a frequency by the government?" Sopingi said.
"Its capacity to file a suit is very much questionable. The management of the radio station has been found guilty [in court]. We will take action against Era Baru Radio if it dares to broadcast again without a permit."
Era Baru Radio was previously denied a broadcast license by the Riau Islands branch of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPID) and the Communications and Information Ministry, which cited spectrum crowding.
Sopingi denied that the decision was motivated by intervention by China, which has lodged protests with the Foreign Ministry against Era Baru Radio since it started broadcasting in 2007, concerned about its support for Falun Gong, which is banned in China.
"We have proceeded with the criminal process because the radio station has used the frequency without a permit. This is purely based on the law and there has been no pressure from any party, including the Chinese government, for us to close the radio station," Sopingi said.
Under the broadcasting law, the station's managers could be sentenced to two years' imprisonment if found guilty of broadcasting without a permit.
Era Baru Radio was closed by Balmon on March 24, 2010, which confiscated its broadcast equipment. The station resumed broadcasting with new equipment before Balmon again closed it in October 2011.
Era Baru Radio director Raymond Tan said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court's ruling cleared the way for the station to resume broadcasting, claiming that the station has been independent.
"The radio station is purely financed by its owner and not by Falun Gong. Falun Gong is a non-profit organization and it never collects fees from its members. How could they finance the radio station?" Raymond, who is also a Falun Gong activist, said.
Separately, Riau Islands KPID head Jamhur Poti said the commission could not issue a recommendation for Era Baru Radio to be issued a permit because its broadcasts did not accord with previously specified plans.
"Ideally, a radio station should only air between 15 and 20 percent of its programs in a foreign language, but Era Baru Radio aired 30 percent of its content in a foreign language. We didn't understand what was aired because the KPID is not equipped with experts to translate program contents," Jamhur said.
Raymond, however, wanted to know why several other private radio stations were cleared to broadcast by the KPID and Balmon.
"We are not allowed to air, while a number of new radio stations have emerged and aired. This is very hurtful for us," said Raymond.
— JP/Fadli
(The Jakarta Post, September 01, 2012)
Original text from: http://www.thejakartapost.comews/2012/09/01/falun-gong-radio-station-remain-air-batam-officials.html
