Article focuses on Tomy: Witness

Article focuses on Tomy: Witness

JAKARTA: Expert witness Tjipta Lesmana testified on Thursday
at the South Jakarta District Court in the civil suit case
between businessman Tomy Winata against Tempo daily. Tomy filed
the libel suit over a Feb. 6, 2003 article about Tomy and
Governor of Southeast Sulawesi Ali Mazi.

Tjipta, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said the
article focused more on Tomy than the governor. He said the first
six paragraphs consisting of 277 words, or 53 percent of the
article, centered on Tomy, while only 40 percent was on the
governor.

He regretted that a prominent newspaper like Tempo often used
words such as "rumors said" and "purportedly".

Tjipta pointed out that the first six paragraphs would lead
readers to think that Tomy had truly opened a gambling business
in the province.

He also regretted the use of the word "taipan" to describe
Tomy, as the word had a negative connotation, implying that Tomy
was a bandit-tycoon, and said the article could be considered a
character assassination.

The court, presided over by judge Zoeber Djajadi, was
adjourned until Dec. 8, when the defense would call its expert
witnesses. -- JP