Serious investigation on journalist murder sought

JAKARTA (JP): Senior media officials urged the government yesterday to investigate last week's murder of a journalist in the West Kalimantan capital of Pontianak.

The information ministry's director general of press and graphics, Subrata, and the Indonesian Journalists Association's secretary general, Parni Hadi, said the police's investigation should be impartial and the results made public.

A correspondent from Jakarta's Sinar Pagi crime daily, Naimullah, 42, was found dead Saturday in Pontianak's northern outskirts.

His body was found in the back seat of his car which was parked on a beach. He had injuries to his head, neck, chest and wrists.

A witness said he saw four men run from Maiullah's car to a get away car and escape.

Some of his colleagues believed his death was connected to his articles on timber smuggling and theft in West Kalimantan that allegedly involved officials.

Naimullah was the third Indonesian journalists murdered in the past two years.

A Yogyakarta-based Bernas daily journalist, Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin, alias Udin, was murdered last year.

His murder was allegedly connected with his reports on corruption in the Bantul regency administration.

The dossiers on Dwi Sumaji, Udin's alleged murderer, were submitted to the Bantul District Court on July 15 despite accusations of an attempted police cover up.

A trial date has not yet been set.

Last month, Sayuti Haji Buchori, a journalist for the Ujungpandang-based Pos Makassar was found unconscious, with wounds to his head and neck, on Jl. Garuda in Luwu subdistrict about midday on June 9.

He died in hospital later the same day.

Police denied his death had something to do with his reports on corruption in Luwu subdistrict, saying witnesses saw him fall off his motorbike while trying to avoid an oncoming truck.

The Indonesian Journalists Association South Sulawesi chapter has formed its own fact-finding team to investigate.

Pos Makassar has referred the case to a team of lawyers to probe further.

Subrata called on the public not to hastily conclude that Naimullah's death was connected to his articles and to let the police investigate. (imn)