Tempo-Bakrie in talks for way out over defamation

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 12/19/2008 5:15 PM  |  National

Tempo magazine representatives and chief welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie are seeking a win-win solution to a dispute over defamation, in discussions facilitated by the Press Council.

The first meeting was held Friday at the Press Council office, Central Jakarta, and was mediated by Ichlasul Amal, Wina Armada, Leo Batubara and Garin Nugroho.

In attendance were Tempo chief editor Toriq Hadad and executive editor Wahyu Muryadi, while lawyers Denny Kailimang, Hinca Pandjaitan and M. Yanuar represented Aburizal (who was absent).

Following the meeting, the Press Council members met with Aburizal's lawyers, tempointeraktif.com reports. Both parties plan to meet again to discuss ways to end the dispute.

Previously, Aburizal reported to the council his dissatisfaction with an investigative report on the plight of the Bakrie Group's plummeting shares that appeared in Tempo magazine's Nov.17-23 edition.

The report, titled "Siapa peduli Bakrie" (Who cares about Bakrie), identified Aburizal as one of the biggest sponsors of the 2004 presidential campaign of election winners Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla.

This "sponsorship", the magazine suggests, earned Aburizal the position of coordinating minister for the economy followed by a promotion to chief welfare minister. (ewd)
 

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