Public information applicants can submit a "request to obtain Public Information to the relevant Public Agency in writing or otherwise", and the institution has ten working days in which to respond. The institutions covered include the executive, legislative, judiciary and other agencies whose function and main duties are related to the organising of the state, as well as non-governmental institutions that are part or wholly funded by the state.
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Article 1 of the Act defines Public information as that which is "produced, stored, managed, sent and/or received by a Public Agency".
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The legislation defines public information and the details the relationship between the requester and the public institutions that hold it. Although it took a further ten years for the right to public information legislation to come into effect, its development can be seen as another move to empower Indonesian citizens, reduce corruption and improve the transparency and accountability of Indonesia's public institutions.
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Suharto's successor, Habibie, announced a new ambition for a clear system of governance and political existence "free from corruption, collusion and nepotism" and Indonesia embarked on a programme of extensive political and institutional reforms including the introduction of democratic elections and reduction of constraints on the press and wider civil society. Once Suharto was no longer able to purchase the loyalty of officials, support faded, opposition mounted, and Suharto was forced to resign. However this approach could not last, and with the Asian economic crisis that hit Indonesia in 1997, one cause of which was Suharto's massive misappropriation of wealth, the funds for co-option were similarly affected. Suharto ensured the benefits of corruption were dispersed throughout the system, so that officials at all levels were incentivised to maintain the status quo. This centralisation of power and autocratic approach fed into every part of Indonesia's state infrastructure movements or initiatives based on voicing a need for change were quashed and public information was considered confidential unless its disclosure was specifically authorised. Throughout his time in office, Suharto engineered an increasingly oppressive system of governance whereby controls over the various social and political forces of Indonesia were continually increased in order to both minimise dissenters, and encourage political inactivity.
MAXIM INDONESIA FREE
Under President Suharto, who held office from 1967 until 1998, Indonesian politics was defined by the absence of transparency, accountability, democratic institutions and free press. Indonesian's political landscape is shaped by the pervasive corruption of the Suharto premiership. The Act also aims to increase participation of the public in the political process, foster a new era of good governance - defined by its openness, efficiency and accountability - as well as improving the sciences and information management. The objectives of the Act are centred on securing the rights of Indonesian citizens to public information, improving the transparency of the process of decision making and reasoning behind policies. It has also been seen as another step in improving the accountability of Indonesian politicians and public institutions that began with the democratic reforms of 1998.
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The introduction of transparency legislation in Indonesia has been viewed as a move to alter the default position on information, which historically has been defined by secrecy. The Public Information Disclosure Act was ratified on April 2008 and, following a government review, the Transparency of Public Information Law came into effect in May 2010.