Legislator condemned for intimidating reporter
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purbalingga
The Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) lodged a protest against Achmad Ridwan Arifin, a legislator with the Purbalingga Legislative Council (DPRD) in Central Java, on Saturday for allegedly intimidating a local reporter.
The association condemned Ridwan of the United Development Party (PPP) for terrorizing 32-year old Toto Sumarsono, a reporter with Kedaulatan Rakyat daily, and demanded that he apologize to him and the city branch of PWI.
Purbalingga's PWI chairman Prasetyo told The Jakarta Post that the legislator had disparaged Toto and threatened to beat him on Thursday for writing articles about the establishment of the city branch of his rival party called PPP Reformasi.
The PPP has split into two parties -- one led by Vice President Hamzah Haz and another party called PPP Reformasi led by its former co-chairman and noted Muslim preacher Zainuddin M.Z.
Prasetyo said Ridwan, a supporter of the Hamzah-led PPP, did not want journalists to cover events related to the establishment of PPP Reformasi's branch in Purbalingga.
According to the local PWI chairman, many other legislators had witnessed how Ridwan insulted and threatened the journalist but they did not intervene.
Toto later took his case to the PWI regency office asking it to help resolve the conflict.
"Just don't ever write articles (on PPP Reformasi). I will beat you up if you write anything unpleasant," Prasetyo said, referring to how Ridwan threatened Toto.
The PWI chairman revealed that it was the latest threat made by the same legislator against a journalist in Central Java.
Ridwan had earlier intimidated Eko Agus Rahman, a journalist with the Radar daily based in Banyumas, the capital city of Purwokerto regency, for several articles he wrote on the legislator's party, Prasetyo said.
He threatened to drag the legislator to court should he refuse to apologize to the victim and PWI for his latest act of intimidation that has tarnished the image of the local media there.
"The point is that if Ridwan does not want to apologize to us, we will prosecute him and bring him to court," Prasetyo said.
Ridwan has not gone to his office since the issue surfaced in Purbalingga, nor did he respond to the accusations against him.
Prasetyo, quoting other legislators, said Ridwan was known as a bad-tempered member of the city legislative council.
"I have often heard from other members of the council that Pak Ridwan is indeed emotional, so they support our move to settle the case against him in court," he added.
Hadi Suyono, a deputy council speaker from the Indonesian Military/National Police faction, said he had no objection to the case being brought to court.
He said the case was nothing to do with the local legislature as it was merely a personal matter involving Ridwan.