Seven opposition figures questioned further<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Police ignored mounting calls on
\nWednesday to drop their investigation of government critics and
\ncontinued to question seven of the 20 opposition figures accused
\nof trying to topple President B.J. Habibie's government.<\/p>\n
The seven figures questioned at the National Police
\nheadquarters were former head of the Army's Strategic Reserve
\nCommand (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret) A. Kemal Idris; former Jakarta
\ngovernor Marine Lt. Gen. (ret) Ali Sadikin; politician Johny M.
\nHidayat; soothsayer Permadi; economist Sri Edi Swasono and his
\nyounger brother, Indonesian Democratic Union Party (Pudi)
\nchairman Sri Bintang Pamungkas and Meilono Suwondo, a close
\nassociate of Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Those summoned for questioning earlier included Megawati's
\nyoungest sister Sukmawati; University of Indonesia alumni (Iluni)
\nchairman Hariadi Dharmawan; Iluni executive M. Haryono
\nKartohadiprodjo; Pribadyo S.; Roch Basoeki Mangoenprojo and Koen
\nSoekarno.<\/p>\n
The seven figures questioned on Wednesday admitted they had
\nsigned dossiers in which they rejected the allegation that they
\nplanned a massive student movement and mass recruitment to
\n\"occupy\" the House of Representatives\/People's Consultative
\nAssembly (DPR\/MPR) building on Nov. 13.<\/p>\n
A police source said that of the 20 opposition figures the
\npolice were only seriously targeting three. These are believed to
\nhave close links with the student movement and the declaration of
\nthe joint communique, demanding the Habibie government be
\nreplaced.<\/p>\n
\"They are Sri Edi Swasono, who is one of the students'
\nfavorite lecturers; Hariadi on account of his Iluni position and
\nJohny M. Hidayat, who organized the joint communique
\ndeclaration,\" the source said.<\/p>\n
The figures are charged of violating Articles 107 and 110 of
\nthe Criminal Code on subversion, which carry maximum penalties of
\nlife imprisonment.<\/p>\n
\"Today's questioning of me has finished, but as a good citizen
\nI'm ready whenever police still need me,\" Sri Bintang told
\nreporters before leaving the headquarters.<\/p>\n
In a related development, Hariadi, who is the inspector
\ngeneral at the Ministry of Forestry and Plantation is soon to be
\ndismissed from his post.<\/p>\n
Forestry minister Muslimin Nasution confirmed the replacement,
\nbut denied that it was related to the ongoing police
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
\"It's not because he is currently summoned by the police for
\nquestioning. The process is quite complicated and is on account
\nof various considerations,\" the minister told journalists on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Hariadi and several other senior officials at the ministry
\nwere replaced based on decrees issued by Habibie and Muslimin
\nlast month.<\/p>\n
Their successors would be officially installed soon after
\nHabibie issued a decree that would legalize the new organization
\nof the ministry, Muslimin added.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta thousands of students from Sanata Dharma
\nUniversity held a long march from their campus to the state-run
\nradio (RRI) station RRI Nusantara II in protest the Semanggi
\nincident and reject the results of the MPR Special Session.<\/p>\n
In Mataram West Nusa Tenggara, Supreme Advisory Council
\nchairman A.A. Baramuli disclosed that he had advised the
\nPresident to uphold the existing law against the dissident
\nfigures.<\/p>\n
\"I suggested that the President use the existing laws, but not
\nthe subversion law, as it's not democratic and not in line with
\nthe state ideology Pancasila,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In Bandung the student senate of the Bandung Institute of
\nTechnology urged high-ranking government officials and heads of
\nvarious groups to restrain themselves and no longer use hostile
\nwords, such as treason, exploitation by force and setting one
\nside against the other, which only create further hatred.
\n(emf\/gis\/swa\/25)<\/p>",
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