President Yudhoyono Satisfied with Sentence for Zaenal
Tuesday, 18 March, 2008 | 16:30 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Presidential spokesperson, Andi Mallarangeng, said the sentence of former DPR's Vice President, Zaenal Maarif, has restored the integrity of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

People can see that slander is slander, and the one who spreads it will be punished. “Thank God that the truth is enforced,” said Andi through his text messaging to Tempo, Monday afternoon.

The President, he continued, never intended to punish anyone. But through this judicial decision, he hopes everyone will learn a lesson. “There is no slander in Indonesian politics,” he said.

The Court of Justice of Indonesia, Central Jakarta sentenced Zaenal Ma'arif to eight months in prison with one year probation period. He has been proven for slandering President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. “It is officially indicted as a libelous criminal action” said head of the judicial court, Agoeng Rahardja.

Although he has been proven wrong, the judge did not arrest Zaenal, who is a politician of Partai Reform Star party (Partai Bintang Reformasi), unless he repeats it again within one year.

On 18 February 2008, the President forgave Zaenal without withdrawing his claim, so the judicial process continued. Prosecutor Noor Rachmad charged Zaenal for libeling President Yudhoyono when he spoke to journalists on 26-27 July 2007. At that time, he claimed the President had been married on 30 June 1976 with Kristiani Herawati before he was admitted to the Armed Forces Academy (Akabri) while it actually occurred after he graduated. The prosecutor charged Zaenal to a one-year in prison.

Widi Nugroho