Govt extends overseas travel ban on Bintang

JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office has extended the overseas travel ban on controversial politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas by another year, an official said yesterday.

"We have informed him of the renewed travel ban," chief spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, Pontas Pasaribu, said yesterday.

He announced that the travel ban, slapped on Bintang on April 18, 1995, was extended because Bintang is still being tried on charges of insulting President Soeharto.

Bintang was banned from traveling abroad after he was charged with slandering the head of state during a seminar in Berlin last year.

"The new travel ban was issued by the Attorney General's office on a request by chief prosecutor (of the Central Jakarta prosecutor's office) P. Sitinjak," Pontas said.

He said that the travel ban was issued to guarantee the continuation of the trial.

"Nobody can guarantee Bintang's presence at the trial," he gave as justification.

Immigration laws furnish four government officials with the authority to request a travel ban: the minister of finance, the commander of the Armed Forces, the attorney general, and the minister of justice.

The power to determine the length of restriction lies with the Attorney General's Office.

Bintang allegedly called Soeharto a dictator during an April 1995 seminar in Germany, and allegedly said the President had violated the 1945 Constitution.

The defamation trial is currently underway at the Central Jakarta District Court. The court is scheduled to reach a decision on May 8.

Bintang failed to turn up at the Attorney General's Office yesterday to receive the extension notice. He said he had to teach at the University of Indonesia the entire day.

Pontas said the Attorney General's Office would send a formal notice to Bintang on the renewed travel ban.

Bintang won a lawsuit filed with the Jakarta State Administrative Court against Attorney General Singgih for banning him from traveling overseas last year. The government's appeal is now being heard at the State High Administrative Court. (imn)