Please do not conclude that Dahlan is gathering chief editors. This meeting is purely organized by the forum (of chief editors) who wish to know directly from him what has really happened."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A number of mass media leaders met with state enterprises minister Dahlan Iskan to seek clarification directly from him regarding his clash with the House of Representatives (DPR).

"Please do not conclude that Dahlan is gathering chief editors. This meeting is purely organized by the forum (of chief editors) who wish to know directly from him what has really happened," the chief of the forum of chief editors, Wahyu Muryadi, said at the state enterprise minister`s office here on Thursday.

Wahyu who is the chief editor of Tempo Weekly said it happened that Dahlan is also a senior mass media figure and so it was not difficult to meet him to ask for clarification about problems he is facing in handling state-owned companies.

"In the meeting just now Dahlan revealed interesting aspects that could be used as background stories in the media to avoid wrong perception," he said.

Wahyu said that Dahlan actually had no intention of divulging secrets with his extortion disclosure but his aim was conducting internal improvement in the state-owned companies.

The chief editor of Investor Daily, Primus Dorimulu, meanwhile said that Dahlan`s move to unveil the names of lawmakers indicated to have extorted money from state-owned companies was a normal action in the fight against corruption.

"Corruption among lawmakers has spread to involve not only one but almost all of them. So, when one`s identity is disclosed others react because they feel they could be the next targets," he said.

He said Dahlan`s action had actually revealed the reality that has existed tens of years.

Sharing his view, ANTARA News Agency`s news director Akhmad Kusaeni said that in the past directors of state-owned companies were named based upon recommendation from the House of Representatives (DPR).

"So it was not a secret that the system has made state-owned companies milk cows for politicians," he said.

Now, he said directors of state-owned companies were no longer determined by DPR but appointed by state enterprises minister through a fit and proper test.

"That way directors of state-owned companies could be more focused in carrying out their tasks as they are no longer bound by DPR," he said.

Around 20 chief editors came to the office of the state enterprises minister at around 11.30am.

They include Don Bosco Salamun from Beritasatu.com, Asro Kama Rokan from Jurnal Nasional, Saiful Hadi, the president director of ANTARA News Agency, Usman Kasong from Media Indonesia, Uni Lubis from ANTV, Sururi Al Farouq from Sindo Daily, Martin Slamet from Jakarta Daily and Eko B Suprijanto from Info Bank.

Regarding the meeting that lasted for an hour Dahlan said that it was not his initiative but that of the chief editors.

"I did not gather the chief editors. They were the ones who had initiated to gather here," he said.

He said he had met with media leaders before and so the meeting this time was not extraordinary. "If I am not mistaken this was the third meeting," he added.

Dahlan had reported two lawmakers in a meeting with DPR`s Ethics Council on Monday that had tried to extort funds from state-owned companies. He again submitted six more names in connection with the case on Wednesday.

His surprise move has drawn strong reaction from a number of DPR members but Dahlan has also received support for it. (BSR/YH)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2012