`Primadosa' author makes first legal move against government
`Primadosa' author makes first legal move against government
JAKARTA (JP): Wimanjaya K. Liotohe, who is under police
investigation for his book that many found insulting to President
Soeharto, has confronted the authorities on the legal front by
filing a lawsuit against the government for banning his book.
The Jakarta State Administrative Court yesterday opened the
first hearing on Wimanjaya's complaint against Attorney General
Singgih for the ban of Primadosa (Prime Sins).
The evangelist turned author, who is represented by lawyer
Joewono, questioned the authority of the Attorney General to ban
the book.
During the hearing, held behind closed doors, the court asked
the plaintiff to revise the lawsuit and present it in the
following trial session next month, according to Wimanjaya.
Attorney General Singgih, who will be represented by
government lawyers, is scheduled to present his response to the
suit during one of next month's open sessions.
Wimanjaya is still required to make visits to the Jakarta
Police Headquarters to help with the investigation after
complaints by many public figures that his book misrepresented
history and discredited, not only President Soeharto, but also
all subsequent administrations since 1966.
He is scheduled to be questioned again for the third time
at the City Police Headquarters tomorrow.
Police issued a warrant on April 6, stating that the author
will be charged with insulting President Soeharto in January when
he released his three-volume book.
If found guilty under the defamation law, the author could
face a maximum jail penalty of six years.
During the police interrogation, Wimanjaya is being
represented by lawyers from the Alamsyah Hanafiah SH &
Associates.
The 60-year-old Wimanjaya earlier said that Primadosa was not
intended to be published as a book. He claims that the contents
are from a lawsuit he filed against President Soeharto, whom he
accuses of masterminding an attempt to overthrow Sukarno in 1965,
which has been officially blamed on the Indonesian Communist
Party (PDI). Sukarno survived the coup, but fell from disgrace
the following year.
Soeharto drew public attention to the book in January when he
disclosed its existence. He said that the contents were a
personal attack against him, and stressed that he took it as a
challenge.
It was Soeharto's half brother and businessman Probosutedjo
who lead the call for legal action against Wimanjaya for
insulting the head of state through the book.
Many Moslem leaders are backing Probosutedjo's call, but
senior government officials have been reluctant to pursue the
matter because such an action would give even greater publicity
to the book.
Wimanjaya said he will take his case to the United Nations,
urging the international body to establish a fact-finding team,
if there are violations in the investigation procedures by the
police. (par/prs)