Harmoko has 2 weeks to respond to `Tempo'

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Harmoko has been given two more weeks by the Jakarta State Administrative Court to respond to charges by a senior journalist that his action to ban Tempo magazine in June was illegal.

A court session was originally scheduled to hear Harmoko's defense yesterday, but his lawyer R. Wiyono said that his client needed more time to respond to the lawsuit filed by Goenawan Mohammad, the proprietor of the closed weekly.

"We are not ready to deliver our defense statement today," Wiyono told the court.

Judge Benjamin Mangkoedilaga, the court's chief, who is also trying the case, agreed to a postponement, but warned that this would be the last one because the defendant has had since Oct. 21 to prepare

Harmoko, who has encouraged Tempo to take the legal course to settle the issue, was not present at the hearing yesterday.

"If he cannot meet the deadline on Nov. 18, the court will not grant him another opportunity," Judge Benjamin told his lawyers. "Beyond that, the defendant will be waiving his right to defend himself."

Tempo, Indonesia's most established current affairs weekly, lost its license in June along with two other publications, Editor and Detik. Tempo was closed because of certain aspects of its editorial content, although the government never categorically stated the articles that were deemed to be offensive. Editor and Detik were shut down for administrative reasons.

Goenawan filed a lawsuit against Harmoko in September, calling for a review of the revocation of the license and permission for Tempo to resume publication.

The lawsuit states that the information minister had abused his power by making a one-sided accusation that Tempo did not adhere to the standards of a healthy and responsible press. It also challenged the minister's remarks that Tempo was banned for the sake of national stability.

"The news reported by Tempo and other media did not disturb national stability, security or order. The situation remained stable, safe and orderly and the development program has continued."

Many observers believe the trial has only academic interest given that the magazine's assets have already been dismantled and the majority of its employees have joined forces with timber tycoon Mohammad (Bob) Hasan to establish a new magazine called Gatra, which will begin publication later this month.

Another group of former Tempo employees is also in the process of establishing their own magazine to be called Berita. (imn)