The 'Post' rejects IPTN's demands over false report
JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Post rejected yesterday as excessive the demands by state-owned aircraft maker IPTN over an incorrect report on an airplane crash.
The daily's team of lawyers acknowledged, in a statement responding to IPTN's three demands, that refusal to meet the demands could lead to a court settlement, although the daily preferred an out-of-court solution.
Spokesman for the Post's lawyers, Todung Mulya Lubis, said that IPTN's demands had "ignored the spirit of the press law, (the principle of) deliberations (to reach consensus) under the Pancasila democracy, as well as the fate of a national asset, only because of an unintentional mistake".
IPTN had asked the Post to meet three demands, as an alternative to court proceedings, over the inaccurate report on May 23, which IPTN said could adversely affect its image among potential buyers.
In the article, the Post quoted an unnamed IPTN source as revealing reasons for the crash which contradicted IPTN's. The military version of the CN-235 aircraft crashed after it had tried to parachute-drop a four-ton cargo at Gorda airbase in Serang, West Java, killing all six people on board.
IPTN is demanding that a correction and apology to it be published in local and foreign publications, with the format and editorial content of the correction and apology to be determined by IPTN. The Post must also pay a negotiable amount of compensation.
Instead of meeting the demands, the Post offered yesterday to publish a front-page exclusive interview with IPTN's president, a joint communique, a joint press conference and a half-page advertisement of apology. The contents of the communique and the advertisement would be negotiable.
Todung insisted that the daily's mistake could not be classified as breaking the laws as IPTN's lawyers had claimed. He said the case had been handled in ways that adhered to the press law and the Indonesian Journalists' Code of Ethics.
"We have done everything, including carrying a correction at the first opportunity, declaring an apology and asking an audience with IPTN's president, B.J. Habibie," Todung said.
He said that IPTN might not be satisfied with the Post's offer and, thus, could not be prevented from exercising its legal right.
"Court settlement is a choice that fits the rule of law principle, as far as it is free from power abuse," Todung said.
"It maybe good for future Indonesian press to learn from the case," he added.
Todung said that, despite refusing the demands, his team was open for an out-of-court settlement. Negotiations are still underway between the teams of lawyers. They are scheduled to resume their talks next Tuesday.
"Our refusal is not intended to spoil the ongoing negotiations. It must give each of us a clear stance that we will use as input for our negotiations," Todung said.
"We just want to find an amicable solution which does not harm the press on the one hand and helps IPTN promote its products on the other," he said. (amd)