Legal action against media 'only last resort'

Legal action against media 'only last resort'

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has reiterated his support for
press freedom, promising that the government would settle
disputes with the media out of court.

Communications and information minister Sofyan Djalil said on
Thursday that the President was committed to supporting the
development of a free and professional media as it was a major
part of democracy.

"We will continue to use hak jawab (the right to respond) as
we know that media reports are not always accurate," Sofyan said
at a press briefing after accompanying the President at a meeting
with the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI).

However, the President recently sent a team led by Sofyan to
visit the offices of Kompas, the country's leading newspaper, and
Rakyat Merdeka newspaper to convey displeasure at articles on
post-tsunami issues, which the government deemed opinionated.

"We exercised our right to object to the articles carried by
the two dailies, and the case is closed," Sofyan said, explaining
the visits.

However, he said the government would not hesitate to bring a
dispute with print or electronic media to the Indonesia Press
Council if its right to respond was ignored.

"We will only use the legal approach as a last resort," Sofyan
asserted.

Susilo acknowledged that a number of articles on the media in
the Criminal Code were products of Dutch colonial rulers and were
unsuited to current conditions, Sofyan said.

"However, we need to develop a benchmark for the Indonesian
media. Even in countries with well established democracy, the
press must abide by regulations and code of ethics," he said.

Last year, Tempo magazine chief editor Bambang Harymurti was
found guilty in a defamation case against businessman Tomy
Winata. Tempo also lost a civil lawsuit in connection with the
case and was ordered to pay US$1 million in compensation. The
magazine has appealed the verdicts.

Rakyat Merdeka, a newspaper known for its sensational
headlines, lost separate libel cases last year against president
Megawati Soekarnoputri and House of Representatives speaker Akbar
Tandjung. Two of its editors are appealing their six-to-eight-
month prison terms.

During Thursday's media conference after the meeting with the
President, PWI chairman Tarman Azzam said Susilo would attend the
celebration of National Press Day on Feb. 9 in the Riau capital
Pekanbaru.

"The President is set to hold talks with people at the event,"
he said.

The PWI commemoration of the day has drawn public criticism
because the Rp 6 billion (US$666,600) event, which features a
national sports competition, will reportedly be financed by the
Riau budget.

Riau Governor Rusli Zainal, who accompanied Tarman at the
press conference, did not deny the reports, saying his
administration often disbursed funds from the provincial budget
for social events.

Critics have lashed out at the Riau administration for
spending so much money for the PWI event.

They also accused the PWI of being insensitive to the
suffering of tsunami victims in Aceh and North Sumatra, including
fellow journalists.

Tarman said the PWI got funding from other sources apart from
the Riau government to finance the event.

Responding to the criticism, Tarman said there was no need to
draw out compassion for Aceh.

"We don't need to be sad for a long time. We should support
Aceh to rise again. The event is a part of our attention toward
the Acehnese," he said, arguing that the PWI had raised funds for
its members in Aceh.

Tarman said the committee would cover travel and accommodation
costs of delegates participating in the National Press Day
celebration.

The PWI will also present awards for exceptional reports on
post-tsunami Aceh, he added.