Ali Sadikin issues new book on his interviews

Ali Sadikin issues new book on his interviews

JAKARTA (JP): Noted book editor Ramadhan K.H. yesterday
presented former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin with a belated 69th
birthday gift -- a new book which is a compilation of a series of
press interviews the controversial statesman has given.

The book, Pers Bertanya Bang Ali Menjawab (The Press Asks and
Bang Ali Answers), is a collection of press articles on a wide
range of issues Sadikin, or Bang Ali as he is more affectionately
known, gave between 1981 and this year.

The tough talking Bang Ali is presented in the book the way he
is projected in the Indonesian media -- always critical and sharp
and very often controversial.

But as stated in the book's preface, Bang Ali, while
corroborating the press interviews, he also expressed
disappointment in that some of the articles had been cut, or that
the interviewers failed to grasp the meaning.

"We should also bear in mind the condition under which the
mass media had been working at the time ... The media print was
indulging in self-censorship, the need to protect themselves."

Bang Ali has been a staunch critic of the government, and is
the de facto leader of the Group of 50, a loose organization
founded in 1981 linking former officials, scholars and religious
leaders critical of the administration.

He was virtually barred from the Indonesian press between 1981
until 1990.

The 375-page new book attests to this fact also. Of the 54
press interviews published in 26 publications, one was held in
1981, another in 1990, and the rest were from the period of 1991
and 1995, when he was once again sought after for interviews.

Noted human rights lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution, in his
foreword to the book, said the period between 1982 and 1989 was
void of any interviews. "It was probably because no journalist
interviewed him, or some journalists did interview him but could
not publish it."

The book is published by PT Dunia Pustaka Jaya.

Ramadhan, who with G. Dwipayana co-authored President
Soeharto's 1989 biography Pikiran, Ucapan dan Tindakan Saya (My
Thoughts, Sayings and Deeds) personally presented the book to
Bang Ali at the latter's residence.

Among those attending the launching ceremony were noted
politicians and human rights campaigners including Sri Bintang
Pamungkas, Manai Sophiaan, Hoegeng Iman Santoso, A.M. Fatwa,
Adnan Buyung Nasution, Todung Mulya Lubis, H.J.C. Princen,
Mashuri, and Oei Tjoe Tat.

Sadikin's birthday was on July 7. (imn)