'Tempo' said to use press principles

JAKARTA: Two expert witnesses told the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday that the Tempo magazine article, 'Is Tomy in Tenabang?' had complied with all basic journalistic principles and contained no defamatory or provocative suggestions.

Communications expert Maswimar Mangiang from the University of Indonesia said the article in question had covered both sides of the story as it also included responses from parties related to preliminary information in the article.

Mangiang, who is also chief editor of the Neraca business daily, said that responses put at the end of the article did not suggest a particular opinion to readers, but were there merely for the sake of its logical structure.

Journalism expert Abdullah Alamhudi from Dr. Soetomo press institute said journalists could not be held responsible for misinterpretation by readers who did not read fully a piece that was journalistically correct.

Businessman Tomy Winata sued Tempo chief editor Bambang Harymurti and journalists Ahmad Taufik and T. Iskandar Ali for defamation and provoking public disorder through the article. They could face a maximum sentence of 10 years under the Criminal Code if found guilty. -- JP