JAKARTA: Prolonging the debate over the Film Censor Institute's (LSF) ban on Balibo - the Australian film about the killings of five Western journalists in then East Timor in 1975 - the House of Representatives Commission X on arts and cultural affairs is planning to summon Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik and LSF officials for questioning.
Eko Hendro Purnomo, a member of the commission from the National Mandate Party (PAN), said the government had overreacted with its decision to ban the movie.
"It's paranoia. There has never been a movie in the history of the world that led to the disintegration of a nation," Eko, a former comedian, said at his office in Jakarta on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Kemal Stamboel, chairman of House Commission I on defense and foreign affairs, praised the LSF's ban, saying it had "its own standard to review a movie that bothers our people".
The Indonesian government previously said it might prohibit the screening of the movie here on grounds it might be deemed "offensive".
Balibo was released on Aug. 13, 2009, two months before the Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced it had reopened the investigation into the deaths of the five journalists - British reporters Malcolm Rennie and Greg Shackleton, Australian cameramen Brian Peters and Tony Stewart and New Zealand cameraman Gary Cunningham. - JP
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