ANTARA to sue author over controversial book

ANTARA state news agency plans to sue author George Junus Aditjondro for claiming the agency helped President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono win this year's election.

In the much-debated book, George mentioned the agency had switched its public service obligation (PSO) worth Rp 40. 6 billion (US$ 406,000) to the Bravo Media Center, a media – based campaign to win support during the election.

“That’s completely untrue because substantially and technically the switching of the PSO was impossible. We want Aditjondro to revise the book and apologize for having spread misleading information. If not, we will sue him,” the agency director Ahmad Mukhlis Yusuf said as quoted by Antara on Monday.

Ahmad added that none of the information written between page 29 and 31 was libelous.

“The PSO is used as an operational fund to cover annual news coverage,” he said.

He added the agency IT and commercial director Rully Ch. Iswahyudi was never involved in the financial management of the Bravo Media Center.

The President has yet to issue a formal withdrawal of the book, but it is rarely found on bookshelves across the country. (ewd)