President to sue daily for defamation

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri plans to sue Rakyat Merdeka daily for comparing her to Soemanto, a man who confessed to eating parts of dead human bodies.

"The President herself said she could not sleep after reading the newspaper's headline and decided to file a lawsuit against the paper," journalist Susanto Pudjomartono told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Susanto was referring to a headline that appeared in Rakyat Merdeka in January, which suggested that Megawati was crueler that Soemanto for raising electricity and telephone rates, and fuel prices.

Megawati announced the planned lawsuit during a luncheon with members of the Editor's Club, which was also attended by Kompas publisher Jakob Oetama, Kompas chief editor Suryopratomo, Metro TV senior editor Andy Noya and TV7 chief editor August Parengkuan.

Rakyat Merdeka daily is known for its daring headlines and is currently facing another lawsuit by House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.--JP