Sobary officially heads Antara<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The top job at the official Antara news agency
\nwas handed to noted columnist Mohammad Sobary on Wednesday, with
\nthe conspicuous absence of former chief Parni Hadi.<\/p>\n
In the quiet ceremony, without the earlier rumored
\ndemonstrations against the replacement, Acting State Secretary
\nBondan Gunawan installed Sobary as general manager.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters and the news agency's employees at the
\nceremony, Sobary pledged to boost the agency's professionalism.<\/p>\n
\"I think it's time for some of our friends in Antara to have
\nsome more training in journalism ... the English language, or
\nother training,\" he said.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid replaced Parni with Sobary, who
\nworks at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, on March 20 with a
\npresidential decree.<\/p>\n
Parni has filed a lawsuit against the President demanding Rp 1
\ntrillion in damages, saying that Abdurrahman had no right to
\nissue the decree. Antara, he said, was not a state news agency as
\nclaimed, but a private foundation, adding that the government
\nonly provided a meager sum in funding each year.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Parni's lawyers said in a news release that
\nWednesday's installment of Sobary was \"invalid\" and undemocratic.
\nThe installment did not appreciate the fact that the lawsuit was
\nstill being processed, lawyer Zul Amali Pasaribu said.<\/p>\n
On Dec. 13 last year, in a ceremony celebrating the news
\nagency's 62nd anniversary, Abdurrahman said he hoped Antara would
\nbe independent and added that it should no longer be the
\ngovernment's mouthpiece. Later, some Antara employees expressed
\nresentment over Sobary's appointment.<\/p>\n
Sobary admitted the tension on Wednesday but said he would
\nalso feel suspicious if he was in their position.<\/p>\n
He said he had held three meetings with the employees, which
\nhe said had established an understanding between both parties.<\/p>\n
Bondan denied during the ceremony charges that the government
\nhad been arrogant in appointing an outsider. He said the post had
\nbeen offered to insiders, \"but nobody had dared.\" (08)<\/p>",
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