Bekasi vice regent apologizes

Bekasi vice regent apologizes

JAKARTA (JP): Bekasi vice regent, Dede S., apologized for stating that the local press are gossip mongers during a speech yesterday.

Dede said he regretted what he had just told the audience at a collective labor agreement ceremony between 13 private companies and their unions.

In his address on behalf of the regent, Dede said that Bekasi had made significant progress in boosting cooperation between businesses and workers.

"However, security is inferior as robbery and rape records are getting higher. Bekasi has poor security forces, so it is understandable that security in Bekasi isn't good. This has been exasperated by the press which prefers spreading gossip to writing facts," Dede was quoted by Antara as saying.

The statement got a prompt response from reporters at the ceremony. They asked the vice regent what he meant by his gossip mongering accusation.

"It was a mistake. I apologize to you all. Take that sentence as an off-the-record statement," Dede offered.

He said he withdrew his statement, telling reporters he was upset by media reports that claimed he had shares in several private companies.

Indonesian law prohibits civil servants from having shares in a private company.

The enraged reporters told him he could not arbitrarily brand the press gossip mongers.

"If there are some of us have made false reports about you, you just name them and make a correction, but don't say that the press, which could mean the national press, prefers selling gossip to writing the facts," one reporter countered. (sur)