Sultan discusses reporter's death

Sultan discusses reporter's death

YOGYAKARTA: About 60 local journalists met with Sultan
Hamengku Buwono X here on Wednesday night to discuss the progress
of their investigation into their colleague's death on Aug. 13.

They expressed their dismay with the police and their probe
into the murder of Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin. The authorities
claim to have clues, though the journalists doubt that their
investigation has gotten anywhere.

Syafruddin, a reporter for the Yogyakarta-based Bernas daily,
is believed to have been murdered by hired assassins in relation
to his scathing reports on corruption within the Bantul regency
government.

The journalists told the sultan about their concern that the
authorities would cover up the affair, Antara reported yesterday.

"We are afraid the murder will become a bad precedent in the
journalism profession," one of the reporters, Putu, told the
Sultan.

The sultan promised to act as a mediator between the
journalists and the police. (pan)