Bintang investigation gets down to details<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The police investigation of controversial
\npolitician Sri Bintang Pamungkas yesterday finally moved into
\nspecifics, with questions over remarks he allegedly made to
\nslander the government.<\/p>\n
Bintang told reporters after a three-hour interrogation at the
\nNational Police Headquarters that the investigators read out
\nexcerpts of a speech he purportedly made at a speaking engagement
\nin Berlin in March and April.<\/p>\n
\"They said that I called former president Sukarno and current
\nPresident Soeharto dictators in my speech at the Technische
\nUniversitat in Berlin,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"They also said that I accused the two (presidents) of
\nviolating the 1945 Constitution during the same speech.\"<\/p>\n
Police also wanted to know whether he also made suggestions
\nabout the excessive role of the administration in the speech, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Bintang said he did not respond to any of the accusations,
\ninsisting that the investigators produce the recording of the
\nincident instead of throwing accusations based on excerpts of the
\ntranscript.<\/p>\n
\"I will only comment if given the opportunity to hear the tape
\nrecording,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yesterday was the fifth time that Bintang turned up at the
\nNational Police headquarters to answer the charges. Initially, he
\nwas accused of taking part in an anti-government demonstration
\nduring President Soeharto's visit to Germany. But the
\ninvestigation has lately shifted into accusations that he made
\nslanderous remarks against the government and President Soeharto
\nduring a number of speaking engagements in Germany.<\/p>\n
Bintang, who has denied all of the accusations, yesterday was
\naccompanied by a team of powerful lawyers: Harjono Tjitrosoebono,
\nAdnan Buyung Nasution, Soekardjo Adidjojo, and Mohammad Assegaf.
\nA fifth lawyer, R. Dwiyanto Prihartono, of the Jakarta Office of
\nthe Legal Aid Institute, was also present.<\/p>\n
The police investigators were Lt. Col. Kamaluddin Lubis, Lt.
\nCol. Eddy Juanda, Capt. Tugino, and Capt. Nyoman. Neither of them
\nwere willing to talk to reporters after the session was over.<\/p>\n
\"No, comment. No, comment.\" Capt. Tugino said when he was
\napproached by reporters.<\/p>\n
Bintang yesterday insisted on seeing the letter by President
\nSoeharto endorsing the police questioning, a standard procedure
\nbefore any criminal investigation can be initiated against a
\nmember of the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Technically, the question has become irrelevant since Bintang,
\npreviously a House member representing the United Development
\nParty (PPP), was fired from the House last month.<\/p>\n
Bintang lost his House seat after PPP leaders initiated the
\nmove, accusing him of departing from party lines.<\/p>\n
He said yesterday, however, that as far as he was concerned,
\nhe was still a member of the House and called his expulsion
\nillegal.<\/p>\n
\"Legally, I am still a member of the House,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bintang said the investigation was adjourned until Monday.
\n(imn)<\/p>",
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