Reporting press to police is ‘uncool’: Legislator

Reporting the media to the police would be “uncool” for Aburizal Bakrie to do, a legislator says.

Golkar Party chair and business tycoon Aburizal Bakrie filed a complaint to the Indonesian Press Council against several media organizations for reporting that he allegedly met with graft suspect Gayus H. Tambunan in Bali.

Aburizal said on Tuesday that aside from reporting some media organizations to the Press Council, he would also report them to the police.

“I suggest it is sufficient to resolve the matter with the Press Council if this is related to news reporting,” Democratic Party legislator Ramadan Pohan said on Wednesday.

Ramadan said in this era it was “uncool” to bring matters regarding press reporting to the police.

“All the elements [to resolve the matter] are already [available at the council]," he said.

The Press Council was the “correct and democratic path” and the “real legal path” as outlined in the 1999 press law, Ramadan said. (gzl)