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)