Police seek removal of reporter

JAKARTA: Jakarta Police sent on Wednesday a letter to the chief editor of Media Indonesia daily, asking for the removal of reporter Aries Wijaksena from his post at the city police headquarters.

The letter, signed by city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo, said Aries was deemed "uncooperative in his articles".

"He tends to write negatively on the National Police and Jakarta Police, without asking for confirmation from the Jakarta Police chief or the spokesman," the letter, dated July 7, said.

The letter was issued following an article on page 12 of the daily's July 6 edition, titled If entertainment spots become a favorite patrol route. The article was about local police officers asking for money from the public to cover the cost of running their Kia Carens patrol cars. The articles quoted statements from the chiefs of two police precincts, who requested anonymity. -- JP