Press Council asks 3 publications to print apologies to Laksmana<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Three media outlets violated the Code of Ethics of Indonesian
\nJournalists (KEWI) in publishing articles about State Minister
\nfor State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi and therefore must
\napologize to him, the Press Council decided on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Press Council executive Sabam Leo Batubara said that the three
\n-- Trust magazine, Nusa daily and the Reporter daily -- had
\nviolated the presumption of innocence principle in suggesting
\nthat Laksamana had left the country with more than US$100 million
\nin state money.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the Press Council's [review], the three media groups
\nviolated the KEWI, and so, we recommend that each of them publish
\na public apology for Laksamana,\" Batubara told Antara in Kupang,
\nEast Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
He said the article Laksamana, why should you run away?
\n(Laksamana, kenapa harus kabur?) and the cover headline Uproar
\nover Laksamana 'Running Away' written in the Sept. 27th-Oct. 3rd
\nedition of Trust magazine were deemed to be disrespectful and
\nviolated the principle of innocent-until-proven-guilty as there
\nwas no supporting evidence within the articles.<\/p>\n
The article Laksamana deserves to be incarcerated (Laksamana
\npantas ditangkap) published in the Sept. 28th edition of the
\nReporter daily was also considered a violation of the principle.<\/p>\n
\"The Reporter daily wrote that Laksamana was part of a \"mafia\"
\nwith a headline accusing him of crime. The police -- not
\njournalists -- are the ones who have the right to determine
\nwhether or not a person is a criminal,\" said Batubara.<\/p>\n
As for the Nusa daily, he said that its article Laksamana is
\nrumored to have fled the country (Laksamana diisukan kabur ke
\nluar negeri) and its lead item that accused Laksamana of fleeing
\nthe country with $125 million of state funds in its Sept. 24th
\nedition was slanderous for quoting a source who sent the
\ninformation via a short messaging service (SMS).<\/p>\n
\"The apology shall be placed on the same page of where the
\narticles were published and it shall be at least the same size as
\nthe articles,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Trust magazine chief editor Bambang Aji Setiady said his
\ncompany had been told on Monday by the Press Council of the
\nrecommendation.<\/p>\n
\"We received a letter inviting us to meet with Laksamana on
\nFriday at 9:30 a.m.,\" said Bambang.<\/p>\n
He said that he would not mind making a public apology to
\nLaksamana.<\/p>\n
\"But we demand fairness in this case. A lot of media,
\nincluding Gatra magazine, had a week earlier reported similarly
\non Laksamana. Why are we the only ones who are to make a public
\napology?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
In the Sept. 25th edition of Gatra weekly, there were
\ninvestigative reports that drew a link between a series of
\nlottery-like quizzes about President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
\ncampaign with several state enterprises.<\/p>\n
If they refuse the Press Council's recommendation, the media
\ncould be sued by Laksamana and pay Rp 100 billion (US$10.9
\nmillion) in material and non-material damages.<\/p>\n
Laksamana filed a complaint to the Press Council last week
\nagainst the media groups and Rakyat Merdeka and Indo Pos dailies
\nfor their articles, arguing that the articles were written based
\non rumors.<\/p>",
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