SBY reported to Jakarta police

Its not just the US that has politicians making critical remarks about each other in the press. Here in Indonesia people sling mud and the latest episode involves President SBY. He accused former House Deputy Speaker Zaenal Ma`arif of making remarks about his marriage, something about being married while joining the army back in 1970. The former House Deputy Speaker took offence to that and reported SBY to the Jakarta police! Here’s more from the Jakarta Post.

Zaenal Ma`arif reports Yudhoyono to police for slander

JAKARTA (Antara): Former House Deputy Speaker Zaenal Ma`arif responded Tuesday to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s action in reporting him to the police for slander by lodging a similar complaint against the president with the Jakarta police.

Zaenal came to the Jakarta Police Headquarters to file his report in the company of his lawyers, Mahendra Datta and Achmad Micdan.

“At a recent press conference SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) attacked my dignity and this irritated my family and relatives,” Zaenal told reporters.

He said the president had slandered him so that his fate was now like that of “a damaged cucumber which is again hit by a pile of durians.”

Meanwhile, Achmad Micdan said Zaenal had never slandered Yudhoyono but now he (Zaneal) had become a victim of slander.

“We are suing SBY (Yudhoyono) for violating Article 310 of the Criminal Code on defamation,” he said.

On Sunday, SBY came to the Jakarta Police Headquarters to report Zaenal for slander and tarnishing his image.

Zaenal had said SBY was already married to a woman before he got married to First Lady Ani Yudhoyono. Zaenal made the remark in reaction to the issuance of a presidential decree discharging him as a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) and removing him from his position as House deputy speaker.

Here in Indonesia you can get reported for defamation quite easily, just for publishing words about someone without their consent. Until recently one could be imprisoned for criticing the government, under laws dating back to the Suharto era. The SBY era is one marked by a serious attempt at curbing corruption and encouraging free speach.