'Media Indonesia' manager denies link to banned PRD

'Media Indonesia' manager denies link to banned PRD

JAKARTA (JP): The general manager of the Media Indonesia daily
Surya Paloh denied yesterday having any link to the banned
Democratic People's Party (PRD).

"I told the authorities that I did not know these people at
all and I had nothing to do with them," Surya told reporters at
his office after being questioned by intelligence officers
earlier in the morning for 40 minutes at the Jakarta Internal
Security Agency (Bakorstanasda) office in Central Jakarta.

According to Surya, he had no contact with alleged PRD
sympathizers.

Surya was the second prominent figure questioned after
business tycoon Sofjan Wanandi was questioned Monday.

The two were summoned to clarify documents bearing their name
found at the scene of a bomb explosion at Tanah Tinggi, Central
Jakarta.

The suspected bombmakers are alleged PRD sympathizers.

The homemade device exploded at an apartment on Jan. 18. No
one was killed but police arrested a man whom they alleged to be
one of the bombmakers.

Both Surya and Sofjan have vehemently denied any link with the
PRD or the bombmakers.

Surya yesterday played down the questioning. "I did not see
this as an extraordinary thing. This was only an invitation to
make a clarification," Surya said.

But he admitted being surprised at being questioned, adding
that "as a journalist, I have critical questions deep inside my
heart about this matter".

When asked if the questioning touched on a Media Indonesia
article on Jan. 20 which printed an article on PRD leader Budiman
Sudjatmiko's denial of his group's involvement in the bomb, Surya
quickly retorted: "No, no, the intelligence officers did not
touch upon that issue during the questioning."

Separately, spokesman of the Jakarta Regional Military Command
Lt. Col. B.J. Nachrowi also confirmed the questioning had nothing
to do with the newspaper report.

"He was summoned as his name, along with Sofjan Wanandi and
Jusuf Wanandi, was found written in the documents," Nachrowi told
The Jakarta Post, adding that Surya was summoned in his personal
capacity as a journalist.

Nachrowi also said that Surya and Sofjan may be questioned
further if authorities find more evidence of their involvement.

Meanwhile, at the Centre for Strategic and International
Studies (CSIS) in Central Jakarta, a group of 100 protesters
again demonstrated against businessman Sofjan Wanandi and his
brother Jusuf Wanandi, whom they accused of contributing to the
current economic crisis.

Without presenting tangible evidence to support their
accusations of the Wanandi brothers, the group demanded the
government take Sofjan and his brother to court and dissolve the
CSIS.

The demonstrators, waving banners and posters condemning the
CSIS and the two brothers, arrived at the CSIS office in two
chartered buses. (10/aan/cst)