Fire victims admit plotting to attack Tomy
<p>Fire victims admit plotting to attack Tomy</p><p>M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta</p><p> 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. </p><p>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.</p><p>"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.</p><p>However, the attack never took place because IKBT leader M.
Yusuf Muhi stepped in and called it off.</p><p>"He (Yusuf) told us that the Tempo article could be wrong,"
Roni said.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Yusuf, who took the witness stand after Roni, said attacking
Tomy would only have caused more legal troubles.</p><p>"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.</p><p>IKBT is known to provide security for traders in the market
and the surrounding area, including street vendors.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>"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.</p><p>Presiding judge Andriani Nurdin adjourned the trial until Nov.
17, at which time the court will hear from additional witnesses.</p>
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. </p><p>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.</p><p>"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.</p><p>However, the attack never took place because IKBT leader M.
Yusuf Muhi stepped in and called it off.</p><p>"He (Yusuf) told us that the Tempo article could be wrong,"
Roni said.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Yusuf, who took the witness stand after Roni, said attacking
Tomy would only have caused more legal troubles.</p><p>"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.</p><p>IKBT is known to provide security for traders in the market
and the surrounding area, including street vendors.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>"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.</p><p>Presiding judge Andriani Nurdin adjourned the trial until Nov.
17, at which time the court will hear from additional witnesses.</p>