Indonesian weekly apologizes over last Supper Suharto cover

Tempo Newspaper has apologized to all Christians around the world, mainly all Christians in Indonesia regarding the picture that used on the cover page. That picture was stand for Indonesian former president, Suharto and his children. The picture was imitate the composition of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper picture which illustrated Jesus with his three daughters and sons instead of apostles, it cause complaints from Christians. The reason is because of Suharto was known as the most powerful and the longest president ever in Indonesia, he was occupy as a president for more than three decades until 1998. Even though Suharto led and brought Indonesia to immovability economic, he was being blamed of a corruption and the right abuse to the citizens. Then, Tempo newspaper published a large headline had a good mind to apologized, the heading was "Tempo Magazine Apologizes" followed by the subheading "We had no intention of hurting Christians”.

Kress & van Leeuwen (1998) site that image is part of multimodal text, it is because image is the representation of something which also can convey messages without giving text on the picture. Besides, arrangement and visual illustration contribute to meaning. According to Krees& Leeuwen (1996), There are third element that set up by the image: the composition of the whole, the way in which the representational and interactive elements are made to related to each other, the way are integrated into meaningful whole. Regarding the image in the Tempo’s cover page, readers can have their own perspective. Based on Christian religion, they believe that last supper is blessed painting, it illustrate the last mealtime Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles before he die, it also surrounded by many significant theories (all about Jesus Christ.org , 2009). In the other hands, other people which non-Christian think that it’s only a famous Leonardo Da Vinci painting. So, I can conclude that every person have their own point of view about that controversial picture. Because, it is depends on the person experience, knowledge and thought.

List of References:

ABC News 2009, Indonesian weekly apologsises over Last Supper Suharto, viewed 13 June 2009, http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/06/2156269.htm

Kress, G. & van Leeuwen, T. 2006, Chapter 6: The meaning of composition Reading images, Reading images, Routledge, pp. 175- 214

All about Jesus Christ 2009, The Last Supper- Dining with Christ, viewed 10 June 2009,

http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/the-last-supper.htm

TempoInteraktif 2008, Pemimpin Majalah Tempo Minta Maaf, TempoInteraktif, viewed 13 June 2009, http://www.tempointeraktif.com/hg/nasional/2008/02/05/brk,20080205-116950,id.html

SMF 2008, [Hot News] MAJALAH TEMPO DIADUKAN KE POLISI, SMF, viewed 13 June 2009, http://www.lautanindonesia.com/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=5709.0