Bogor mayor under fire for alleged slurs

BOGOR (JP): Some 30 journalists staged a protest at Bogor's mayoralty office and local council building on Thursday demanding the city's mayor, Col. Agus Utara Effendi, apologize for allegedly insulting Budi Lesmana, a reporter at the local Radar Bogor daily.

"We want the mayor to admit to and apologize for his wrongdoings in a written statement published in the national media," the reporters said.

The alleged incident took place on Tuesday night after the mayor had completed his speech at a Ramadhan evening prayer meeting at Nuril Ihsan Islamic boarding school in Cisarua, Puncak.

The mayor reportedly got upset over Budi questioning him about poverty and malnutrition cases in Kampung Sukaluyu, Bogor, and without warning grabbed Budi's shirt collar and scolded him.

"I'm not afraid of anybody!" he said, and snatched the reporter's tape recorder.

The protesting journalists, however, failed to meet the mayor as he was said to be on a field trip.

"The mayor is out of town," said Bogor city spokesman Helmi Gustian. The group eventually met with Council Speaker Endang Kosasih who promised to help solve the matter.

"It is our duty to find solutions. We are willing to become a mediator between the reporters and the mayor in this matter," Endang said.

The protesters unfurled posters reading, "A hoodlum must not become mayor" and "Agus Utara doesn't deserve to be a mayor". They later dispersed after a session with the councilors.

Radar Bogor's editor Ubay Subarna regretted the incident, saying the mayor should have used his right to complain if he felt there had been unbalanced reporting.

Head of the Bogor branch of the Indonesian Journalist Association (PWI) Herman Abbas supported the protests, demanding the mayor must apologize for his action.

"What he did was arrogant and improper," he said. (21/24/edt)