'Press must help maintain security before elections'

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata called on reporters yesterday to help create a favorable atmosphere in Jakarta for next year's general election.

"You all may know that there are always certain people of groups that plan to do something to disturb the public prior to election day for their own personal or group's benefits," the two-star general told a press gathering here.

These irresponsible parties know how to exploit the period before the 1997 general election for their mission, he said.

Without the help of responsible press corps, the trouble- makers' activities could go on unheeded, Hamami said.

"Should it not happen this way (if the press is irresponsible), only the innocent will lose their property and their lives," he said.

"It's always the people who know nothing about the activities that suffer more than the parties involved," Hamami said.

Therefore, he said, media personnel must carefully select the content of their reports.

"Your reports could prevent turbulence or spark and widen serious chaos. It totally depends on what you want," he told the gathering of around 50 crime reporters.

"It's not wrong for us to urge the press to think wisely for the sake of our country and its people before printing reports, especially those which could create nationwide disturbances," he said.

A number of criminal cases relating to religious issues have happened recently in the capital and in a few other cities around the country.

Last month, for instance, an angry mob threw stones at the Kronjo Police sub-precinct in Tangerang after its chief ordered his personnel to question a man caught praying the Holy Koran before the morning prayer.

In that case, Hamami immediately replaced the chief of the Kronjo Police.

Another serious incident happened in Bekasi recently but, according to current regulations, the media were not allowed to report it because they were told it could have sparked widening disturbances which could have endangered the life of the nation.

"I'm very glad to see that almost all of the reports (about recent cases) in the past few days have been handled properly to prevent further problems," Hamami said.

The meeting at the Taman Safari Indonesia national zoo in the Cisarua mountain resort, one-hour drive from Jakarta, was also attended by chief of the Indonesian Journalists Association Sofjan Lubis and Tarman Azzam from the association's Jakarta branch. (bsr)