Daughter claims rector charged with sexual harassment innocent
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.
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