Police reform debate continues

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 09/05/2007 2:19 PM | Opinion

I would like to respond to a letter from reader John A. Montiano (The Jakarta Post, Sept. 1) with reference to his criticism of a column by Julia Suryakusuma.

Montiano is in error in several points he makes in his criticism of my colleague. He states that Miss Suryakusuma is ""a reporter ... who makes a lot of her assumptions from rumors ..."" and then takes her to task for recounting things she had been told or had heard.

Contrary to Montiano's premise for his complaint, Julia is not a news reporter. She is an opinion columnist. That should be evident from the fact that her column appears on the Opinions page.

As a columnist her responsibility is to offer opinion, not news, not even necessarily fact or, as our reader suggests, logic.

Nevertheless, I saw no lapse or absence of logic in that piece or any other written by Julia, and the fact that she reported that some of her anecdotes were reported to her by others goes beyond any requirement she has as a journalist writing an op-ed.

There are many problems with media in Indonesia and elsewhere. Both Julia Suryakusuma and I have written about them.

It would seem a much more appropriate use of one's time and energy to address real issues than to whine that an opinion columnist has a duty to voice only opinions with which you agree.

PATRICK GUNTENSPERGER
Jakarta

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