'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)