Song lyrics land musician in hot water

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police will soon summon well-known musician Harry Roesli for questioning for allegedly inciting hatred against the state and ridiculing the state emblem and the nation's philosophical foundation, an officer said on Wednesday.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said he did not know when the summons would be issued, but that it "would be as soon as possible".

Harry sung a satirized version of Garuda Pancasila during the commemoration of the Aug. 17 Independence Day held at the residence of former president Abdurrahman Wahid in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

Anton also said the summons was made following a police preliminary investigation into his version of the song.

"We found indications that he had tried to bring the state emblem, the Garuda (a mythical bird), and the Pancasila state philosophy into ridicule. All of us should maintain respect (for these symbols)," Anton said.

"If we want to uphold the supremacy of the law, Harry has to be questioned so that other (artists) will not follow his example, and despise our state emblem."

Anton remarked that police were considering laying charges against Harry, saying that the 50-year-old musician was suspected of having violated Article 154 of the Criminal Code on expressing hatred and hostility toward the Indonesian government, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment or a Rp 4,500 fine.

The Bandung-based musician is popularly known as a critic and innovative musician whose experimental music accompanies lyrics which criticize the government and comment on society.

On Wednesday, however, the Kompas daily published an apology from Harry to the family of Sudharnoto, the composer of Garuda Pancasila, for singing the revised version of it in public, as well as a public apology for those he offended with the revamped lyrics.

Harry said he had learned the satirized version of the song from some street singers in Bandung, who often sing it on public buses.

In his updated version of the song, Harry said he was tired of Pancasila as there was no improvement to the people's social welfare. (emf)