Goenawan resigns as 'Tempo' chief editor

Goenawan resigns as 'Tempo' chief editor

JAKARTA (JP): After 28 years as the driving wheel behind
leading weekly magazine Tempo, senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad
stepped down as chief editor on Wednesday to sample a broader
world of culture.

Deputy chief editor Bambang Harimurty took over from Goenawan,
who said he would spend the rest of his life at Teater Utan Kayu
to further develop the community's art and culture works.

"We initially refused his resignation ... but we could not be
selfish. Goenawan needs a chance to develop himself outside
Tempo," Bambang told the media, accompanied by general manager
Fikri Jufri and executive editor Toriq Hadad.

"Goenawan is only going for an adventure," Bambang said.

"He'll still be writing (his column) Catatan Pinggir (A Note
from the Sideline) in every Tempo edition and be a senior editor
here," said Bambang, himself a former astronaut candidate and an
Alfred Friendly Free Press Fellowship recipient.

The announcement took place on Wednesday night, exactly five
years after a controversial government ban on Tempo, and on
tabloid DeTik and weekly news magazine Editor.

Tempo resumed publishing in October last year and, as
requested by all employees, Goenawan was appointed chief editor.

But Goenawan said he would only hold on to that position for a
year. "And he keeps his promise and is being replaced by
Bambang... who had been prepared for quite some time," Fikri
added.

Goenawan admitted he could not have managed the magazine
without the support of the people around him. "They do all the
hard work and I take the credit," he said.

Goenawan's long journey began way back in 1965 when he was
awarded a scholarship to the College d'Europe in Bruges, Belgium.
After returning to Indonesia in 1967 he helped to establish a
weekly news magazine, Ekspres, which was banned within a year due
to its strong criticism of the government.

In 1992 he was named recipient of the distinguished Nieman
Fellowship from Harvard University and a year later was presented
the first Professor A. Teeuw Award from the Netherlands.

Bambang has worked as executive editor of Media Indonesia
daily, and has pursued a career at Tempo since 1982. (edt/amd)