Ministry of Information probes newspaper fracas

Ministry of Information probes newspaper fracas

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Information is investigating the rift at the Sriwijaya Post daily newspaper following a fracas involving the newspaper's General Manager Fauzi Achmad and Deputy Chief Editor M.S. Hendrowijono.

"We have received the letter from Sriwijaya Post's General Manager Fauzi Achmad, and are now looking into the matter" the ministry's director of public affairs Indrawadi Tamin told reporters yesterday.

He said that in the meantime no one has the right to change the editorial board of the newspaper without the permission of the Minister of Information.

Based in Palembang, South Sumatra, the rift at the newspaper, with a daily circulation of about 50,000, has progressed to the point of alleged physical attacks by both Fauzi and Hendrowijono, according to an earlier Antara report.

In a statement, the president of Sriwijaya Post Ansel da Lopez said the rift began with a row concerning authority between Fauzi and then chief editor Pramono.

Fauzi owns some equity in the newspaper, whose majority shares is held by the Gramedia group which also publishes Kompas daily in Jakarta.

The matter, which later also pitted Fauzi against the board of directors, was settled when Pramono was suspended and Hendrowijono appointed as deputy chief editor.

According to Ansel, despite the newly agreed executive board, Fauzi established his own structure which crippled the role of the chief editor and head of the company.

Then in November 1995, an employee foundation apparently set up by Fauzi, rejected the board of director's proposal to appoint Soleh Thamrin as the new chief editor.

Then last week, without the consent of the stock holders, Fauzi called in a public accountant from Jakarta to audit the company's books. This move was opposed by the employees who barred the accountant from entering the office.

In reaction to the employees opposition, Fauzi on Jan. 11 interrogated those whom he considered responsible for barring the accountant from entering.

Later that day, when Hendrowijono came to see Fauzi in his office he was met by the latter's "bodyguard".

According to Ansel, the "bodyguard" then struck Hendrowijono, who had to be taken to hospital to receive two stitches.

The incident then escalated, with allegations and counterallegations made to the police.

Then, in a extraordinary meeting on Thursday, the stock holders confirmed the board of director's decision to temporarily suspend Fauzi and appoint Hendrowijono as acting general manager. (mds)