Tempo, PPM to seek amicable settlement

JAKARTA: The Pemuda Panca Marga (PPM) youth organization has agreed to try to settle its latest legal dispute with Tempo magazine out of court.

PPM lawyer Abdul Salam and Tempo lawyer Misbachudin said during a hearing on Wednesday at the Central Jakarta District Court that their clients had agreed to adjourn the trial until Nov. 11 for mediation.

The PPM filed a lawsuit against Tempo earlier this month, accusing the magazine of libeling the group in its June 2003 edition. The organization demanded Rp 10.5 billion (US$1.15 million) in punitive damages.

The group previously filed a Rp 250 billion suit against Tempo. That lawsuit was thrown out by the court, which found the complaint "vague". --JP