Reporter laments guards' action

JAKARTA (JP): What would you miss the most if you were a reporter? No access to the country's most important agenda, for one.

A female reporter who works for private TV station SCTV experienced such a plight on Sunday when President B.J. Habibie delivered his reply to the MPR, which followed his accountability report on Thursday.

The reporter was assigned to cover the event at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), while fellow TV crews took a day off after days of busy coverage of the MPR's session.

She was supposed to be the anchor of a live broadcast but presidential security guards found she did not hold an identity tag needed to enter the Assembly hall, where the President delivered his speech.

"Those security guards do not understand who should be inside the plenary hall," she stormed.

She could only waited outside the hall while her cameraman, who qualified for the event, strode into the room. (emf)