House denies meeting with Tomy

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives denied holding a secret meeting with businessman Tomy Winata before it sought a clarification about the recent attack on Tempo weekly's office from Tomy, Tempo executives and the Press Council on Monday.

"My colleagues and I did not attend any meeting with Tomy before the hearing with the respective sides. We're not that naive," chairman of the House media commission Ibrahim Ambong told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Ibrahim confirmed that commission staff has made contact with Tomy by phone and in writing for administrative reasons.

"We did the same with Tempo and the National Police," Ibrahim said.

Tomy's lawyer, Desmond J. Mahesa, was not available for comment on Wednesday.

During the commission's meeting with National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar and his subordinates, legislator Abdul Qadir Djailani disclosed that several members of the commission had secretly met Tomy before the Monday hearing without good reason.

Djailani, who did not name those who attended the meeting, asked that the secret meeting be disclosed to the public to avoid creating the impression that Tomy and legislators had colluded to design a strategy on what Tomy should say during the hearing.

Legislator Effendi Choiri also said that he had heard that some of his colleagues had attended a secret meeting at Borodubur Hotel, Central Jakarta, part-owned by Tomy.

"However, I don't believe it," he said.

Djailani said that he had heard about the meeting from legislator A.M. Luthfi. The latter told him that he had not yet confirmed the issue.

"I expect it be clarified to avoid accusations of defamation," Djailani said.

On Monday, the media commission held a meeting with both Tomy and Tempo magazine journalists following the recent attack by people claiming to be sympathizers of Tomy on the Tempo office in Central Jakarta.

Later on Tuesday, the commission met the National Police to discuss the same issue.

The incident drew public attention recently after Tempo journalist Ahmad Taufik revealed that police personnel had appeared powerless against the attackers.

The attack has also sparked condemnation and strong protest, especially from the media, which said it was a serious violation of press freedom and that thuggery should be halted in the interests of law enforcement.

On Tuesday, Da'i said the police knew Tomy, who donated a car to them following last year's Bali bombings. Tomy is known as a tycoon who has wide-ranging, close relations with government and military officials.