Surjadi bids farewell to hacks

JAKARTA (JP): Outgoing Governor Surjadi Soedirdja bid farewell to City Hall reporters at Putri Duyung Cottage in Ancol, North Jakarta, Wednesday night.

During the meeting Surjadi, whose term of office ends Monday, described how much attention he paid to media reports.

He said that he often used media reports as official letters for his subordinates to settle problems.

"I used to make notes on the media reports in red pen, give them to my subordinates and ask them to follow up the news," he said.

If the reports turned out to be true, his officials were told to take any necessary steps to solve the problems immediately, he said.

During the gathering, which was organized by the City Hall reporters, the governor was given several souvenirs, including caricatures of himself and his wife in front of low-cost apartments and surrounded by reporters. (ste)