Legislators testify in Bintang trial<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Four members of the House of Representatives and
\na journalist testified in court yesterday that they met with
\npolitician Sri Bintang Pamungkas in Germany in April, but none
\ncould shed any more light on his activities.<\/p>\n
The five testified for the government prosecutors who are
\ncharging that he insulted President Soeharto during a speech he
\nmade before Indonesian students in Germany.<\/p>\n
The four legislators were members of President Soeharto's
\nentourage during a state visit to Germany in April.<\/p>\n
They were Markus Wauran of the Indonesian Democratic Party,
\nSyaiful Anwar Husein and Muhammad Mansyur of the United
\nDevelopment Pary, and Harris Ali Moerfie of Golkar.<\/p>\n
Syahbudin Hamzah of the Indonesian Times, who was covering the
\nstate visit, also testified for the prosecutors.<\/p>\n
The four legislators said they did not attend the speech that
\nBintang gave in which he reportedly made the offensive remarks.<\/p>\n
\"We only said hello and had our pictures taken together when I
\nmet Bintang on Apr. 3 at the Indonesian pavilion for the Hanover
\nFair,\" Markus Wauran told the court.<\/p>\n
\"I greeted Bintang and asked how things were. We then parted
\nways because I had a busy schedule to follow,\" Syaiful Anwar
\nHusein, said in a separate session.<\/p>\n
\"I greeted Bintang and hugged him,\" Muhammad Mansyur said in
\nanother session.<\/p>\n
Harris Ali Moerfie said he only said \"hi\" to Bintang and had
\nsome pictures taken.<\/p>\n
Syahbudin Hamzah testified that he met Bintang, also in
\nHanover, after the opening ceremony of the fair.<\/p>\n
He said he did not know of any seminar and denied that he saw
\nBintang in a series of demonstrations.<\/p>\n
Bintang was then still a member of the House of
\nRepresentatives. He lost his seat in May, at the height of a
\npolice investigation, after President Soeharto approved a request
\nby the United Development Party to have him removed.<\/p>\n
Bintang is being accused of calling President Soeharto a
\n\"dictator\" during a lecture he delivered to Indonesian students
\nat the Technische Universitaet in Berlin in April. If found
\nguilty, he could be jailed for up to six years.<\/p>\n
The prosecution yesterday also presented Koswara, head of the
\nSoekarno-Hatta Immigration Office, to ascertain the date of
\nBintang's departure and return from Germany.<\/p>\n
The trial was adjourned until next Wednesday to hear testimony
\nfor the defense. Three students, who were present during
\nBintang's speech, have been summoned to the court. They are
\nIgnatius Irianto, Iwan Setiabudi and Kristanto Hendatmo Sudirman.
\n(imn)<\/p>",
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