Harmoko denies using state funds for Golkar

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Harmoko denied allegations yesterday that he has been using state funds to finance his trips to various parts of the country in his capacity as chairman of Golkar, the ruling political group.

"When I travel to the provinces, not in my capacity as Minister of Information, I do not use the Ministry of Information's funds," he said when the question was raised during a hearing with Commission I of the House of Representatives.

Harmoko has been stomping across the nation ever since his election to the Golkar chairmanship in 1993, mobilizing support for the ruling political group and holding meetings with Golkar cadres.

Hardly a day goes by without the government-controlled TVRI station showing Harmoko in a bright yellow jacket, the color of Golkar, addressing cadres and supporters.

Harmoko has said that he hopes to cover all 304 regencies in Indonesia before the next general election in 1997. He still has some 90 regencies to cover.

Commission I member Sabam Sirait during the hearing yesterday asked the minister if there was a use of funding from the Ministry of Information, since Harmoko is both a cabinet minister and Golkar's top man.

Sabam of the minority Indonesian Democratic Party questioned whether these "meetings with cadres" in the regencies were not siphoning Ministry of Information funds.

Harmoko replied that financial support for his travels and other activities as Golkar chief were not taken from the ministry but funded by Golkar itself.

"I know how to separate myself as information minister, as Golkar chairman and even as head of Perbasi (The National Basketball Association)," he remarked.

Harmoko during the hearing also rejected charges that the Ministry of Information was censoring the media by calling editors to tell them not to print certain sensitive stories.

"The government does not recognize the `telephone' or summoning culture," Harmoko said, referring to the popular phrase used to describe the ministry's censorship method.

He said the government now holds periodic "meetings" with chief editors to discuss government policies.

These meetings, he said, were to fulfill requests by media leaders who need to be updated on government policies.

Such meetings should not be viewed in a negative context, he added. (mds)

Photo -- Page 2