'Tempo' credibility stands firm amid libel suits

'Tempo' credibility stands firm amid libel suits

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Former Press Council chairman Atmakusumah said the Tempo media
group did not lose credibility despite the numerous lawsuits
filed against it. Instead, he said, the suits showed that the
group had carried out its social control properly.

Atmakusumah told The Jakarta Post on Sunday that Tempo weekly
was among the few media that had strived to bring to light those
irregularities involving state officials, business leaders and
politicians in its investigative reports.

"That is why Koran Tempo daily and Tempo weekly were sued for
libel, because many parties begrudge their reports," he said.

He added that the lawsuits were also prompted by the
publications' wide readership.

"A large circulation means news on unscrupulous officials and
businessmen reach more people."

The Tempo media group is facing nine lawsuits. Seven of them
were filed by well-connected businessman Tomy Winata at three of
five Jakarta's district courts. Tomy is seeking a whopping Rp 342
billion (US$40.7 million) total for material and immaterial
losses.

Most of the suits were filed by Tomy after Tempo magazine
published an article entitled Is Tomy in Tenabang? in its June 9,
2003 edition, which insinuated that the tycoon would reap profits
if he had set ablaze Tanah Abang textile market, Central Jakarta.

The South Jakarta District Court ordered Koran Tempo last
Tuesday to pay US$1 million in damages to Tomy in the first
ruling in the legal battle between the group and the businessman.

The court also ordered the daily to make a public apology in
national and foreign media for three consecutive days. If the
daily failed to comply with the ruling, it will be fined Rp 10
million daily.

Meanwhile, political observer Arief Budiman expressed concerns
that the ruling could be a bad precedent and would threat press
freedom.

"The press will become afraid to present interesting headline
stories, and this will bring disadvantages," the Melbourne
University lecturer was quoted by Tempointeraktif.com as saying.

He pointed out that the media, intellectuals and academicians
in Indonesia should not keep quiet with the ruling.

"It impinges upon democratic reform," he said.

Tempo defense lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis has said the group
would plunge into a serious financial problem if its appeal was
overturned by the high court.

Koran Tempo was found guilty by the South Jakarta District
Court on Dec. 30 in a lawsuit filed by Marimutu Sinivasan of the
ailing Texmaco Group, and was ordered to run a public apology in
electronic and printed national media for three consecutive days.

The daily has appealed the verdict.

Tempo magazine is currently awaiting a hearing on a civil case
filed by the Pemuda Panca Marga (PPM) group and the youth wing of
the Indonesian Veterans Legion (LVRI) at the Central Jakarta
District Court, as well as a hearing on a suit filed by the owner
of Pasopati tabloid, Azmi Thalib Chaniago, at the Bandung
District Court.

Tempo weekly was accused of publishing a libelous statement on
PPM in Terror on Kontras in its June 2, 2003 edition. The article
said that the PPM members who attacked the office of the
Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras)
on May 27, 2003, were "of a baser dignity", and described them
elsewhere as a "gang" and "children of former soldiers".

Azmi filed a suit against the weekly for its article that said
Pasopati reporters had extorted Bandung councillors.

Sidebar

Dollars mire 'Tempo' in financial straits: Observer

The recovery of damages in foreign currency in the lawsuit
against Koran Tempo daily is a sign from business tycoon Tomy
Winata that he can pressure the Indonesian judiciary to do what
he wanted, said a political observer.

Ikrar Nusa Bakti of the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI)
said on Sunday that suing for damages in U.S. dollars was part of
the plaintiff's strategy to place the media group in a dire
financial situation.

"If Tempo weakens financially, it will be easy pickings for
those who want to take over it," Ikrar told The Jakarta Post.

He added that the use of the dollar had nothing to do with
nationalism.

Tempo's lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis had said earlier that,
although existing regulations did not touch upon the issue of
currency in lawsuits, the dollar-based fine was an insult to the
rupiah as the national currency. -- JP

I-box
Libel suits against Tempo group

No. District Court Plaintiff Damages Notes

1 Central Jakarta Tomy Winata Rp 120 billion civil case
2 T. Winata Rp 200 billion civil case
3 T. Winata N/A criminal case
4 T. Winata N/A criminal case
5 Marimutu Tempo wins

Sinivasan
6 Yoga Santoso, N/A

Pemuda Panca

Marga

7 South Jakarta T. Winata US$2 million & Tempo
loses

Rp 1 billion
8 M. Sinivasan US$51 million Tempo loses

9 East Jakarta T. Winata Rp 21 billion civil case

10 Bandung Azni Thalib Ch. N/A

Source: PT Tempo Inti Media