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Senior journalist, press activist Leo Batubara dies at 79
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Journalist and former Indonesian Press Council deputy chairman Leo Batubara (left) talks in a discussion in Jakarta in this file photo. The discussion was also attended by then National Awakening Party (PKB) lawmaker Khofifah Indar Parawansa. (JP/-)
F
ormer Indonesian Press Council deputy chairman and press activist Sabam Leo Batubara died on Wednesday in a workplace accident at the age of 79.
Born in Pematang Siantar, North Sumatra, in 1939, Leo served as the council’s deputy chairman from 2007 to 2009.
Even at an advanced age and hours before his death, Leo remained active in the Press Council as a member of the complaint commission.
“Leo died at about 4:30 p.m. after being taken to Gatot Subroto Army Hospital [RSPAD] by a council staff member after he fell when returning to his office from the bathroom,” Press Council member and The Jakarta Post chief editor Nezar Patria said.
Nezar remembered Leo as a disciplined and healthy man who was astute at assessing every complaint.
At the start of the Reform Era in 1999, Leo was involved in designing the Press Law, which is still used today.
He was a senior editor at Suara Karya from 2005 to 2009.
Leo’s passion in upholding press freedom was revealed in a book called Menegakkan Kebebasan Pers (Maintaining Press Freedom), which was published in 2007. (ris)
