Fire victims admit plotting to attack Tomy
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A community leader in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, testified on Monday that an article in Tempo magazine allegedly linking Tomy Winata to a fire that gutted the Tanah Abang textile market led him to plan an attack on the businessman.
The deputy head of the Tanah Abang Betawi Society (IKBT), Roni Syahrono, told the Central Jakarta District Court that he organized a group of fire victims to attack the Artha Graha Group owner and his office on Jl. Sudirman after reading the article in the March 3 edition of the weekly.
"I came to the conclusion that it was Tomy who set the fire in the market. I mobilized other community leaders in the neighborhood to plan a retaliatory attack," he told a courtroom packed with supporters from Tanah Abang.
However, the attack never took place because IKBT leader M. Yusuf Muhi stepped in and called it off.
"He (Yusuf) told us that the Tempo article could be wrong," Roni said.
The article, titled Ada Tomy di Tenabang? (Is Tomy involved in Tenabang?), insinuated that Tomy had a hand in setting the textile market ablaze. It reported that Tomy proposed a Rp 53 billion (US$6.24 million) renovation of the market three months before the fire.
Repair work on the market is expected to be completed by the middle of December, at a cost of Rp 600 billion. City market operator PD Pasar Jaya said earlier the renovated market would have 16 floors above ground and three below. The developer will be announced soon.
Tempo chief editor Bambang Harymurti and reporters Ahmad Taufik and T. Iskandar Ali have been charged under the Criminal Code for publishing news that instigates unrest. If found guilty, they could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.
Yusuf, who took the witness stand after Roni, said attacking Tomy would only have caused more legal troubles.
"Tomy has thousands of supporters .... if we were persistent, it might end up in a bloodshed. Someone would have had to serve jail term," he said.
IKBT is known to provide security for traders in the market and the surrounding area, including street vendors.
Tanah Abang is notorious for its criminal activity. There are reportedly five gangs working in the area and demanding money from traders. Each gang controls a certain area of the market, with the gangs based on ethnic background.
Tempo lawyer Trimoelja D. Soerjadi told reporters the two witnesses on Monday only delivered their personal views of the Tanah Abang fire and its aftermath.
"A witness should present facts, not of his or her personal opinion about certain facts," he said, adding that the two witnesses failed to mention which part of the Tempo article allegedly stated that Tomy masterminded the fire.
Presiding judge Andriani Nurdin adjourned the trial until Nov. 17, at which time the court will hear from additional witnesses.