Letter: SBY and Megawati

I have always liked Hans David Tampubolon’s reporting, but isn’t he a bit premature in choosing “Pancasila ceremony reunites SBY and Megawati” as the title of his article? To my knowledge, SBY and Megawati are, as yet, far from being really reconciled, and even further away from being truly united. Perhaps the article should have been titled: “SBY and Mega meet at Pancasila ceremony”.

Please, The Jakarta Post, refrain from slipshod writing, lest you cause undue distress to your faithful readers, who are, no doubt, already stressed enough by everything that goes on around them.

And may I also draw your attention to the advertisement that appeared on page 12 of the Thursday, May 27 edition of the Post? In it, Sinar Mas expressed condolences “on the diminish of the beloved father of Helman Sitohang”.

“To diminish” means “to reduce”, “to make smaller”. It’s fortunate that the bereaved family hasn’t taken steps to sue — yet. For the correct word should have been “demise”.

Perhaps Sinar Mas itself didn’t want the advertisement to be edited, but the editing department of the Post should have been adamant, and not allowed the printing of a less than perfectly worded advertisement that might spoil its image and good reputation!

 
Tami Koestomo
Bogor