Tabloid sued over graft reports
Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, Padang
State-owned cement firm PT Semen Padang president director Dwi Sutjipto is suing a weekly tabloid based in Padang, West Sumatra, and its two news sources for Rp 2 billion (US$208,333) in a defamation case.
The Padang District Court opened the trial on Wednesday of the case against Dwi and his company over reports carried by the Berita Bijak tabloid, which were considered defamatory.
A team of Dwi's lawyers, led by Handra Deddy Hasan, presented the dossier to the judges led by Busra, and the defendants, but did not read it out as the defendants were considered to understand the charges.
The defendants on trial include two sources quoted in the tabloid, Oyon MS who cofounded the Institute of Minangkabau Intellectual Studies, and Daniel Aswad, who chairs the West Sumatra Consumers' Association and is a lecturer with the Bung Hatta University.
Two other defendants are tabloid chief editor Syahrial Aziz and publisher CV Bijaksana.
Handra said at least three articles published by Bijak between Jan. 16 and Jan. 31 this year were on alleged corruption at Semen Padang, which, according to him, had harmed the reputation of his client and the company.
The reports in concern were titled, Yok Ramai-Ramai Menjarah PT Semen Padang (Let's together loot PT Semen Padang), Direksi PT Semen Padang 'Bohongi' Orang Minang" (PT Semen Padang directors lie to Minang People), and Dwi Sutjipto dan Konsultan Sucorinvest Diduga Ikut Menjarah PT Semen Padang (Dwi Sutjipto and Consultant Sucorinvest accused of involvement in looting PT Semen Padang).
The articles insinuated that the cement firm had been looted by its management and senior government officials in West Sumatra. Oyon and Syahrial gave comments in the news reports.
Handra claimed the comments from the two sources against the company's president director were "unfair, too emotional and baseless".
Their accusations had negative implications for the company and its management and could not be legally proven, the lawyer added.
He said the two sources violated Article 1365 and 1372 of the Criminal Code, while Syahrial Aziz and CV Bijaksana were accused of breaching Press Law No. 40/1999 and the Code of Journalistic Ethics.
The plaintiffs demanded that the defendants pay them Rp 1 billion for material damages and another Rp 1 billion for non- material losses.
The defendants were also asked to publish an apology in newspapers in order to restore their image over the "defamatory" reports.
Meanwhile, PT Semen Padang revoked its lawsuit against the Haluan daily in another defamation case after defendant Azhar Makmur, who is an economist, corrected his statement against the firm, which was published by the newspaper.