'Newspapers are not party-affiliated'

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Harmoko insisted yesterday that no newspapers belong to political parties and that all publications are owned solely by their publishers.

"There's no such thing (as party papers)," Harmoko told reporters yesterday, responding to queries about a growing row between senior politician Ismail Hasan Metareum, of the Moslem- based United Development Party (PPP), and the family of the late Ali Moertopo, who was information minister between 1978 and 1983. They are fighting over the allegiance of the Pelita daily.

"Even Suara Karya does not belong to Golkar, but to its publisher," he said, referring to the newspaper which is widely thought of as expressing the ruling political grouping's goals. Harmoko is also chairman of Golkar.

"The Press Laws have clear stipulations over this issue. Any publication is owned by its publisher," he persisted.

Ali Mursalam, the younger brother of Ali Moertopo, told the press on Tuesday that the family would file a libel lawsuit against Ismail for saying that the late Ali had "robbed" his party of Pelita and brought it to Golkar.

Ismail, in an interview with Tiras this week, said that "since our paper was robbed, we (PPP) no longer have a communication means. In 1982, our newspaper Pelita was stolen. It resumed publication after the editorial board was changed by another political grouping."

"Ali Moertopo (was the robber). Ali Moertopo or the government, I'm not sure, but (the daily) was given to another political grouping. After a legislator and a member of the People's Consultative Assembly from Golkar was posted as the chief editor, it resumed publication," Ismail said in the interview.

Ali Mursalam demanded a public apology from Ismail. "The word 'robber' really hurt. I can't understand how a political party leader could have said such a thing," Mursalam was quoted as saying by Media Indonesia.

"That's slander... If he said that in full awareness, that Ali Moertopo robbed Pelita, we will (bring the matter) to court," Ali Mursalam said.

Harmoko's only comment on the row was "it's their problem". (swe)