Editor tried over defamation

JAKARTA: The executive editor of Jakarta-based Rakyat Merdeka daily went on trial on Tuesday for publishing a series of articles on President Megawati Soekarnoputri deemed defamatory.

Chief prosecutor Arnold Angkouw charged Supratman under Article 137 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code with insulting the president and vice president, which carries a maximum penalty of 16 months in jail.

According to the indictment, Rakyat Merdeka had published four libelous articles on its front page between January and February.

Among the articles was one entitled Mulut Mega Bau Solar (Mega's Mouth smells of diesel fuel), which was accompanied by a picture depicting a fat woman drinking diesel fuel, as well as that of Mega Lebih Kejam dari Sumanto (Mega is crueler than Sumanto), referring to Sumanto who was going on trial in the Central Java town of Purwokerta for eating the corpse of his neighbor.

"The defendant knew that Megawati Soekarnoputri is the President of the Republic of Indonesia and that he has never smelt Megawati's mouth," said Arnold.

Arnold added that the defendant also knew that Megawati has never eaten corpses.

Lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution said that the prosecution revealed that Megawati was authoritarian and opposed to critics as she considered her presidency sacred.

The daily is popular for its tabloid-style journalism. The paper regularly publishes hilarious, sometimes cynical, caricatures and stories mocking politicians.

Early this year, Akbar Tandjung, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, also sued the daily over a caricature he deemed insulting. -- JP