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)