Councilor to be questioned over attack on council<\/p>\n
TANGERANG (JP): Local police are to question Tangerang Council
\nspeaker Gian Sugiharsono as the alleged mastermind behind
\nMonday's attack on the council building, which resulted in two
\npeople, one a councilor, sustaining injuries.<\/p>\n
Tangerang Police chief Lt. Col. Pudji Hartanto told reporters
\non Friday his office sent a letter on Thursday to West Java
\nGovernor H.R. Nuriana asking his permission to question Gian, a
\ncouncil member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan) faction.<\/p>\n
\"We'll question Gian immediately after we receive permission
\nfrom the governor,\" the officer added.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people claiming themselves to be local PDI
\nPerjuangan supporters ran amok during a protest at the building
\non Monday. They were demanding the resignation of four PDI
\nPerjuangan councilors, who they said had betrayed their party
\nbecause they had voted for a motion of no confidence against
\nGian.<\/p>\n
Besides damaging windows and other parts of the council
\nbuilding, located on busy Jl. Nyimas Melati, the group also beat
\ncouncilor and PDI Perjuangan faction chairman Teddy Subrata and
\nlocal resident Ahmad Sanusi.<\/p>\n
Teddy, one of the four councilors the protesters demanded
\nresign, suffered wounds to the right of his forehead and received
\neight stitches.<\/p>\n
Sanusi, who actually took part in the demonstration, was
\nattacked by other participants after he told reporters that he
\nand the other people in the crowd were there under the orders of
\nGian, who had promised to pay them.<\/p>\n
Officer Pudji on Friday did not say whether his men had
\nadequate evidence showing Gian's alleged role in the attack and
\nsubsequent vandalism.<\/p>\n
\"We'll see the results of the questioning first,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Police have so far detained four people, all living near
\nGian's house in Keroncong village, Jatiuwung.<\/p>\n
The four men, identified as Edi, Jayadi, Widodo, and Udin,
\nadmitted to the police they had been ordered to stage a protest
\nat the council building for which they would be paid between Rp
\n5,000 and Rp 50,000 each, Pudji said.<\/p>\n
The officer, however, did not name who gave the order.<\/p>\n
When contacted separately on Friday, Gian said:<\/p>\n
\"I won't defend myself on the allegation that I was the
\nmastermind. I simply believe what I have done is correct,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Previously, police questioned two people, Ukay and Yakup, who
\nwere accused of torturing councilor Teddy during the attack.<\/p>\n
However, both were later released due to insufficient
\nevidence.<\/p>\n
Monday's violence was reportedly sparked by Gian's decision to
\nagree to allow 72 hectares of land in Koang Jaya subdistrict to
\nbe developed for a project to redirect the water from the
\nCiliwung and Cisadane rivers without following council
\nguidelines.<\/p>\n
Residents are afraid that the project, intended to make
\nJakarta free from flooding, will cause Tangerang to suffer from
\nflooding.<\/p>\n
The decision led the National Mandate Party (PAN), Golkar
\nParty, PDI Perjuangan, United Development Party (PPP) and Madani
\nfactions to launch a no confidence vote against Gian.<\/p>\n
The PAN, Golkar, and PPP factions even demanded Gian resign
\nfrom his position as council speaker.<\/p>\n
Tangerang residents denounced Monday's vandalism, calling it a
\na form of an anarchy. They also demanded the police act swiftly
\nand strictly against those found guilty of the crime.<\/p>\n
The damaged parts of the council building could still be seen
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know when the damage will be repaired because it's
\nTangerang's General Affairs Office that holds the budget,\"
\ncouncil secretary Edwan Firman said.<\/p>\n
He also said Gian and his three deputy speakers had not been
\nto their office since the incident took place. (41\/nvn)<\/p>",
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