'Republika' told to use its right to reply
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) called on Saturday for the Republika daily to exercise its right to reply instead of resorting to legal action in response to a report run by The Jakarta Post which it says has damaged its image.
In a statement released by AJI chairman Edy Suprapto, the alliance said Press Law No. 40/1999 recommended that the courts be the last resort for settling dispute over reports carried in the media.
"The taking of legal action by Republika is a legitimate option, but AJI believes that disputes such as this one should be settled through the mechanisms provided by the Press Law," Edy said.
Besides, Republika could file a complaint with the Press Council or other press organizations.
Edy said that if these measures were taken, it would help both parties to make internal improvements and maintain press freedom.
AJI was commenting on a front page story in the Nov. 13 edition of the Post, which said that people close to the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle had injected fresh funding into Republika, a report which was denied by the latter.
Eddy Suprapto urged the English-language daily to apologize for the unsubstantiated report.
He said AJI was concerned with the dispute between the newspapers, which had been caused by inaccurate reporting and the failure to uphold the cover-both-sides principle, a principle that was essential to good journalism.
"Media outlets are free to find and disseminate information and ideas but these should be accurate, correct and objective," Eddy said.
Republika's publisher PT Abdi Bangsa has denied any links to members of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's party.
"The report by the daily (the Post) has greatly prejudiced us -- not only our image but also our independence," PT Abdi Bangsa president Erick Tohir told a media conference on Thursday.
In its clarification, the Post admitted the report was unsubstantiated, inaccurate and not supported by hard facts.
"Although it was not intentional on the part of the Post, we regret whatever negative consequences this news report has caused," the daily's chief editor, Raymond Toruan, said.