'Newspapers are not party-affiliated'

'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)