Bintang's house attact<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The house of Sri Bintang Pamungkas was
\nvandalized in the early morning hours yesterday as a police
\ninvestigation of the controversial legislator continues into his
\nalleged role in an anti-Indonesian government demonstration in
\nGermany.<\/p>\n
\"Part of the front window of my house and the rear window of
\nmy car were smashed this morning,\" Bintang told reporters as he
\nemerged from six hours of questioning at National Police
\nheadquarters yesterday.<\/p>\n
He said that at about 1:30 a.m., his wife had woken him and
\ntold him there had been an unusual sound, like breaking glass. He
\ndid nothing because he was tired and decided to go back to sleep,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
When the couple checked in the morning, they found the rear
\nwindow of their car had been smashed.<\/p>\n
A second attack occurred at about 6.30 a.m. when men on
\nmotorcycles threw stones at the house, he said. He said that he
\ncould not identify the men.<\/p>\n
Bintang, who lives in the Bukit Permai Housing Complex in
\nCibubur, East Jakarta, said he reported the incident to the
\nneighborhood police station on his way to the national police
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
Bintang went to the national police for the second day running
\nyesterday to comply with a police summons in connection with an
\ninvestigation into a series of demonstrations against the
\nIndonesian government in Germany during President Soeharto's
\nrecent visit to that country.<\/p>\n
He said he had been asked to come again today.<\/p>\n
Police said that Bintang's status as of yesterday remained
\nthat of a \"witness\" who was helping them with their enquiry.<\/p>\n
The legislator of the United Development Party (PPP) has been
\nnamed by the military as one of a number of Indonesians who took
\npart in, or mobilized, the protests in Germany. Two others named
\nby the military were senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad and human
\nrights activist Yeni Rosa Damayanti.<\/p>\n
All three have denied any part in the demonstrations. So far,
\nhowever, police are only questioning Bintang.<\/p>\n
Given his position as a member of the House of
\nRepresentatives, police have secured the approval of President
\nSoeharto to question him. But Bintang yesterday said his
\ninvestigators had not been able to show him the letter from
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
Bintang insisted again yesterday that he was innocent and said
\nthat the allegations were made by people who disliked him.<\/p>\n
\"I am innocent,\" he told reporters as he was whisked away by
\nhis lawyers to his car after the long interrogation.<\/p>\n
Lawyers Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan and R. Dwiyanto Prihartono,
\nboth from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, were present during
\nthe police questioning yesterday.<\/p>\n
Bintang said police asked about his whereabouts during the
\nApril 2 demonstration in Hannover in front of the city hall.<\/p>\n
He said that he was near the site at the time, out of
\ncuriosity, but he insisted that he did not take part in the
\nprotest. \"I did not carry any green posters and was not involved
\nin the demonstrations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bintang, known for his harsh criticisms of the government, was
\nin Germany for a series of speaking engagements at a number of
\nuniversities there, including in Hannover, at about the same that
\nthe President was making his state visit.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said yesterday
\nthat he had no intention of intervening in the investigation
\nagainst Bintang and would leave the matter to the government.<\/p>\n
\"The PPP is not responsible for Bintang's personal actions,
\nalthough he is currently still registered as a member of the
\nHouse of Representatives from the PPP faction,\" he said after
\nopening a provincial conference of the PPP's West Sumatra chapter
\nin Padang, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
Ismail Hasan said Bintang had gone to Germany without
\ninforming the party leaders. \"As a PPP legislator, he was
\nsupposed to notify the PPP faction of his trip to Germany.\"<\/p>\n
The PPP leadership last week publicly apologized to President
\nSoeharto and the nation for Bintang's behavior, although at that
\ntime the police investigation had not even begun.<\/p>\n
The latest incident involving Bintang occurred as his position
\nin the House of Representatives is under review after Ismail
\nHasan requested the House leadership to have him removed.<\/p>\n
Another senior PPP leader, Aisyah Amini, yesterday warned that
\nBintang could be fired from the party altogether if he was proven
\nguilty of taking part in the German protests. \"Bintang's
\nmembership of the PPP could be terminated if the court later
\ndecides that Bintang is guilty,\" Aisyah said. (imn)<\/p>",
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