'Action on 'D&R' editor unreasonable'

JAKARTA (JP): Communication expert M. Budyatna criticized the Indonesian Journalists' Association yesterday for revoking its recommendation for the editor of D&R magazine, thus threatening the publication with closure.

Budyatna, who is dean of the University of Indonesia's School of Social and Political Sciences, said the reasons cited for the withdrawal were "unreasonable" and might merely be an effort to conceal that the government had been threatened by the magazine's bold reports.

"I suspect that the magazine has revealed 'undesirable' information from the government's point of view," he told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

Goesti Emran, the magazine's chief editor, had his license to edit withdrawn by the association Tuesday.

Tarman Azzam, head of the association's Jakarta branch, said the association decided to cancel its recommendation for Goesti Emran because the latter employed members of the unrecognized Alliance of Independent Journalists. Five members of the alliance also happened to be ex-employees of Tempo, a prestigious weekly banned in 1994 by the government.

Azzam said the association had, prior to the cancellation, given several verbal warnings and two strong written warnings, but Emran had failed to respond.

Azzam is also editor of the afternoon daily Harian Terbit, part of the Pos Kota group of newspapers owned by Minister of Information Harmoko, who has responsibility for approving publishing licenses.

Under the press laws, a newspaper or publication cannot be printed unless its editor is approved by the association.

Emran could not be reached for comments yesterday.

The weekly D&R has published a number of hard-hitting political stories and interviews in its 10 issues since it first appeared three months ago.

Budyatna admitted that he had read only one edition of the magazine, which happened to be the issue featuring a report on the aftermath of the July 27 riots. "The magazine's coverage contains 'daring' information that has not been published elsewhere," Budyatna said.

Three publications -- Tempo, DeTik and Editor -- were banned in June 1994. An attempt to relaunch DeTik as Simponi in October 1994 failed after only one issue was published when the association withdrew its recommendation of the tabloid's editor- in-chief.

Harmoko said he had yet to be informed about the revocation of the association's recommendation. "If the magazine does not comply with the laws, then it could face sanctions," he said, without elaborating. (14/imn)