Press body named in defamation trial

JAKARTA (JP): A man on trial for defaming President Soeharto by printing unlicensed Suara Independen magazine told the court yesterday the printing order came from a private organization.

Andi Syahputra, 32, told the South Jakarta District Court the order to print 5,000 copies of the magazine came from Bimo and Santoso, members of The Indonesian Society for Alternative Press (MIPPA), whom he had known for years.

He said he understood the magazine was to be distributed among MIPPA members, legislators and universities.

Andi said he asked another printery to do the job because his was busy. He said it was the fourth time he had done the job but the three previous editions had been printed at another printeries

"I asked Zaiyan Putra's print shop to print the magazine as soon as possible because I was given only five-days to fill the order," he said.

He was arrested with Jazrul Zen, the owner of the printing business, in October after police raided the shop and confiscated 3,000 copies of Suara Independen.

Responding to the judge's query about whether he knew the magazine's content, he said he had only read the first six articles.

One of them was an interview with Sri Bintang Pamungkas who said he would challenge Soeharto in a direct presidential election. Bintang is an outspoken critic of the President's policies and a former member of the House of Representatives.

The defense lawyer, Irianto Subiakto, later showed the judge a letter from the head of MIPPA, who lives in Australia, saying the organization was responsible for the content of the magazine.

After the hearing Irianto showed copies of the letter to reporters.

"Any complaint should be addressed to us," said the letter signed by Benjamin Kurnia, the MIPPA chairman.

The letter said that the MIPPA had ordered Andi to print the magazine and that he did it only in the interests of his business.

It also said the magazine was still being published to uphold the rights of the Indonesian people free access to information.

"The magazine is also printed in Australia, the U.S., and Europe," it said.

Andi was charged under Article 134 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum six years imprisonment. (13)