Daughter claims rector charged with sexual harassment innocent

JAKARTA (JP): The daughter of the rector of a private institute now on trial for sexual harassment charges says her father is innocent.

Maslina Firman Hoetasoehoet charged on Saturday that her father's trial is being orchestrated by certain parties, including Indonesian media magnates, in order to achieve enough leverage to appropriate the institute and remove her father from the post of rector.

Maslina, an engineer from the noted Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), said that she could sense a vicious game behind the trial.

She emphasized that she cannot believe that her father, Ali Mochtar Hoetasoehoet, sexually harassed two female staff members of the Institute of Social and Mass Communication (IISIP), Dyah Bintarini and Hanny B. Pegy.

She said that the trial is being used by the rector's enemies who have tried to gain rights over the institute.

She added, however, that she is convinced that the trial will not affect her father's position, either as the institute's founder or rector.

"He is a survivor, I am convinced he can handle the matter," she said.

Harun M. Hussen, the prosecutor who has demanded a one-year jail term for the rector, earlier told the court that Hoetasoehoet made indecent advances toward Dyah Bintarini eight times in his office and other places, including the institute's library, where Dyah used to work. The sexual harassment allegedly occurred during the period of March 1987 to July 1991.

The rector is also accused of similar behavior toward Hanny B. Peggy, who was reportedly sexually victimized 15 times in her rented room and in various rooms at the institute, from May 1984 to June 1991.

Maslina said that there is no proof that either plaintiff has the grounds to charge her father with the offense. She said that Hanny's accusation of being sexually harassed by her father in the institute library in May of 1984 was a lie because the building was not even constructed yet.

Unbelievable

She also said that the same accusation made by Dyah of being harassed on June 10, 1992, was unbelievable as at that time Dyah was attending a meeting to organize students' examinations and her presence there was confirmed by her own signature on the attendance list.

Maslina said she doubted the honesty of several witnesses who testified against her father since none of them saw him commit the harassment.

Dyah Bintarini told The Jakarta Post that the trial was aimed at proving the defendant's guilt and nothing more. She denied knowledge of any party hoping to take advantage from the case.

Dyah said that the trial was her last resort as previously she hoped that the defendant would apologize to her and he did not. "All I want is just an apology and I even gave him a month to ask for my forgiveness."

Presiding Judge Doris Hutahulu adjourned the trial from Saturday until June 25 because the defendant's lawyer, Maruli Simorangkir, was not present to read his defense statement.

Petrus Bala Pattyona, a lawyer from Maruli's firm, denied that Maruli's absence was part of his strategy. He said Maruli had to attend another court hearing to read another defense statement. (03)