No libel found on Texmaco vs 'Tempo' case, expert says

No libel found on Texmaco vs 'Tempo' case, expert says

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An expert witness testified in the Central Jakarta District Court
on Thursday that there was nothing libelous in over 50 articles
run by Tempo weekly about the country's largest textile company,
the PT Texmaco Jaya Group.

R.H. Siregar, the deputy chairman of the Press Council, said
that in covering the financial woes afflicting Texmaco and the
company's owner, Marimutu Sinivasan, the magazine had followed
journalistic principles.

"Tempo did not make the story up, it only reported facts that
were public knowledge," he said.

He said that in publishing over 50 articles from January to
April, the magazine was exercising its social control function
and promoting the interests of the general public.

"When the weekly ran the articles on Texmaco's huge debt to
the government, it aimed to inform the public that this was their
tax money being misused," he said.

Siregar said Marimutu's decision to file a lawsuit against
Tempo was unjustified under the press law.

"By law, Marimutu has a right to counter the articles and to
file a complaint with the Press Council," he said.

Marimutu, who has resigned his post at Texmaco, filed a libel
suit against the weekly for publishing articles that, he alleged,
tarnished the image of him and the company.

He has demanded that Tempo pay him US$51 million in damages.

The businessman also filed a civil suit against Kompas daily
seeking $151 million in damages.

Marimutu has accused the country's leading daily of carrying
out a systematic campaign to assassinate his character.

Experts have said the suits could set a bad precedent for the
press and its function as an agent of social control.

Presiding judge Sylvester Djuma adjourned the trial until Oct.
16.