Law needed to probe Presidential 'affairs'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The bill on the presidency now being drafted by
\nthe House of Representatives should include a provision that
\nallows for investigations into allegations of extramarital
\naffairs involving the head of state, a legal expert said.<\/p>\n
Criminologist Adrianus Meliala of the University of Indonesia
\nsaid on Tuesday the bill could stipulate the appointment of an
\nindependent attorney to investigate sex scandals featuring the
\npresident.<\/p>\n
\"The independent attorney should be financed by the state,\"
\nAdrianus said in a discussion on sex and politics held by the
\nuniversity's political sciences laboratory.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid was hit by an allegation early
\nthis month that he was romantically involved with a married woman
\nin 1995-1996 when he was chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama, the
\ncountry's largest Islamic organization.<\/p>\n
Police have launched an investigation into Aryanti Sitepu, the
\nJakarta woman who supplied the details, and the two magazines
\nthat initially reported the alleged affair. They are facing
\npossible defamation charges.<\/p>\n
The President has dismissed the allegation and denied any
\nknowledge of the woman.<\/p>\n
Adrianus said Indonesia could follow the United States' model,
\nwhich appointed independent attorney Kenneth Star to investigate
\nPresident Bill Clinton's affair with White House intern Monica
\nLewinsky.<\/p>\n
Adrianus said however that even if a presidency bill was
\nenacted, a president could not be prosecuted for misdemeanors
\nthat took place before he or she assumed office.<\/p>\n
\"The scandals must have occurred in his or her term in office
\nto be investigated, and there must be evidence that they affected
\nthe government's performance and policy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Adrianus said he thought that the police investigation of the
\nwomen at the center of the scandal involving President
\nAbdurrahman would be discontinued because police would hesitate
\nto question the head of state.<\/p>\n
The House is currently drafting a bill that would regulate the
\nconduct of the president.<\/p>\n
Legislator Slamet Effendy Yusuf of the Golkar Party agreed
\nthat there was no need for the House to investigate the scandal
\nbecause the alleged affair happened before Abdurrahman became
\npresident. He stressed that what he did then was a personal
\nmatter.<\/p>\n
\"But we could still question why the President denied any
\nknowledge of Aryanti. Why did he lie?\" Slamet said.<\/p>\n
He said many House members were reluctant to press for an
\ninvestigation because they were probably conducting extramarital
\naffairs themselves.<\/p>\n
Slamet said (Indonesian) society seemed to accept polygamy
\npracticed by charismatic leaders. \"Some parents even hand over
\ntheir girls to a kyai (religious leader),\" he said. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/law-needed-to-probe-presidential-affairs-1447893297",
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