Habibie's aide dresses down journalists over dress code

Habibie's aide dresses down journalists over dress code

JAKARTA (JP): An adjutant of President B.J. Habibie berated
reporters as "stupid" for not wearing the peci, the traditional
black cap which has reportedly become part of the dress code at
the State Palace since the President came to power, the Alliance
of Independent Journalists (AJI) said on Wednesday.

AJI said Col. Firman Gani shouted at several photojournalists
and television cameramen covering the meeting between Habibie and
the UN secretary-general's special envoy on East Timor Jamsheed
Marker at Merdeka Palace on Monday. Merdeka Palace is part of the
presidential compound.

"The adjutant went after the journalists and said: 'You are
stupid, you have been told to wear peci if you are covering the
President here, so why don't you wear one?'" AJI said in a
statement made available to The Jakarta Post.

Since he assumed power in May 1998, Habibie has told all
Cabinet members, his security personnel and journalists at the
palace to don the cap because it indicates the wearer is a
"nationalist", AJI said.

"This incident shows that government officials still think
that journalists are their subordinates and can be controlled.
The parameters of politeness do not depend on attire, let alone
peci".

A source at the palace said the incident was probably due to a
"misunderstanding" and would be settled as soon as possible. He
also denied the cap was mandatory attire at the palace.

"There has never been a clear rule regarding that (dress
code)," the official said. Use of the cap would only have been an
appeal, not an obligation, he added.

A journalist quipped: "If the President was from Yogyakarta,
we would have to wear the kemben (traditional bodice)." (byg)