Reporters angry with regent

Reporters angry with regent

CILACAP, Central Java: Journalists here have lodged a strong
protest against Cilacap regent Herry Tabri after he ordered his
subordinates not to provide information or make statements to the
media.

The regent said media statements could only be made by himself
or his spokesman Chaeroni.

"We will boycott the regent until he agrees to retract his
decision," said Ibnu Sofyan, a local correspondent.

The journalists complain that Herry and his spokesman Chaeroni
are neither amiable nor willing to make themselves available to
them.

But the regent himself has hinted that he is merely following
orders from his superiors.

"I'm just carrying out instructions. I do not intend to make
any problems for the press," Chaeroni quoted the regent as
saying. (45)