Media accused of exaggerating reports on crime

Media accused of exaggerating reports on crime

JAKARTA (JP): City police have accused the media of exaggerating crime reports, leading to incidents of serious public unrest in the capital.

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo was quoted by legislator Kamil Shahab as saying yesterday that such exaggerated reports of crimes were motivated by business considerations only.

Legislators of the Golkar faction of the House of Representatives discussed the question of public unrest with Dibyo at the City Police headquarters yesterday.

"The police chief told us that there's no political background to the exaggerated news coverage," Shahab told reporters.

"We're here to hear from the police their view of how crime has increased in recent weeks, as reported by the media, and what they are doing to help reduce the public concern about crime," Shahab said.

He said that, on the basis of what they had been told by the police, the House members would meet with the information minister and executives of the Indonesian Press Association next week to remind the media industry about the negative impact of publishing exaggerated news stories.

"Investors will be reluctant to put their money in Jakarta if they read the exaggerated news about crime," Shahab said.

While a number of local media have been continuously reporting soaring public fear of crime, police data shows that the number of crimes recorded was slightly lower last month than in November 1994.

Earlier this year, Dibyo deployed thousands police and ordered all neighborhood chiefs to reduce the number of criminals and street hoodlums in their respective areas.

Thousands of people, including prostitutes, street vendors, unauthorized liquor sellers and people without identity cards, have been arrested during the operation.

Dibyo has pledged to continue the operation. (bsr)