TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hong Kong-based online media, Asia Sentinel, stated an apology to the former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) for the news on the Century Bank case. It was stated in the article uploaded on the www.asiansentinel.com page on Wednesday, September 19.

We want to apologize fully and firmly to former President Yudhoyono, the Democratic Party, and anyone who was insulted by the article, and more than that, to the Indonesian people, for the insults we might cause with the story,” said the quote in the article.

Read also: SBY Pledges to Hunt Asia Sentinel Writer, John Berthelsen

Asia Sentinel has also deleted the article containing conspiracy investigation on the Bank Century case. In the article, it was said that SBY and 30 other officials committed money laundering totaling US$12 billion, equivalent to Rp177 trillion. It was written the name of Asia Sentinel Editor in Chief John Berthelsen as the party who made the article.

John mentioned a few names in his article. However, he acknowledged that he did not look for commentaries equally in the article.

“The article is only one side and violates fair journalistic practices,” the quote in the article said.

At the end of the article, Asia Sentinel expressed high respect for SBY who had served for Indonesia and was widely respected as an Asian statesman.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH