Dollars mire 'Tempo' in financial straits: Observer
<p>Dollars mire 'Tempo' in financial straits: Observer</p><p> The recovery of damages in foreign currency in the lawsuit
against Koran Tempo daily is a sign from business tycoon Tomy
Winata that he can pressure the Indonesian judiciary to do what
he wanted, said a political observer.</p><p>Ikrar Nusa Bakti of the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI)
said on Sunday that suing for damages in U.S. dollars was part of
the plaintiff's strategy to place the media group in a dire
financial situation.</p><p>"If Tempo weakens financially, it will be easy pickings for
those who want to take over it," Ikrar told The Jakarta Post.</p><p>He added that the use of the dollar had nothing to do with
nationalism.</p><p>Tempo's lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis had said earlier that,
although existing regulations did not touch upon the issue of
currency in lawsuits, the dollar-based fine was an insult to the
rupiah as the national currency. -- JP</p>
against Koran Tempo daily is a sign from business tycoon Tomy
Winata that he can pressure the Indonesian judiciary to do what
he wanted, said a political observer.</p><p>Ikrar Nusa Bakti of the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI)
said on Sunday that suing for damages in U.S. dollars was part of
the plaintiff's strategy to place the media group in a dire
financial situation.</p><p>"If Tempo weakens financially, it will be easy pickings for
those who want to take over it," Ikrar told The Jakarta Post.</p><p>He added that the use of the dollar had nothing to do with
nationalism.</p><p>Tempo's lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis had said earlier that,
although existing regulations did not touch upon the issue of
currency in lawsuits, the dollar-based fine was an insult to the
rupiah as the national currency. -- JP</p>