Police will summon Manai for libel charge

JAKARTA (JP): National Police headquarters will summon columnist Manai Sophiaan following a formal complaint by former student leaders who say he has tarnished their image.

Members of Fosko 66 lodged a complaint about Manai's allegation that they were paid by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to demonstrate against president Sukarno in 1966.

They said Manai's statement made in a recent interview with Tiara magazine was malicious and they have threatened to sue him for defamation.

Fosko 66 is a loose forum of former student activists who played a pivotal role in toppling president Sukarno in the aftermath of the 1965 abortive coup attempted by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Spokesman for the National Police Brig. Gen. I Ketut Ratta said on Thursday that no date has been set to summon the former ambassador to Moscow and one-time secretary general of the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI).

"The police are looking into Fosko 66's complaint and will summon Manai to headquarters if they think it is necessary," he said as quoted by Antara.

Manai has been in hot water ever since he made the press statement.

Another group of 1966 student activists, Keluarga Besar Laskar Ampera Arief Rachman Hakim, also plans to file a law suit against him for the same allegation.(pan)