Yusril owns up to taking Rp 1b from Habibie<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman Yusril Ihza
\nMahendra acknowledged on Friday accepting Rp 1 billion from then
\npresident B.J. Habibie to help finance the newly established
\nparty prior to the 1999 general election.<\/p>\n
Yusril said his party received a total of Rp 2.9 billion in
\nfinancial assistance -- including Rp 1.57 billion in donations
\nfrom supporters and the Rp 1 billion from Habibie -- since its
\nfounding in July 1998.<\/p>\n
"All the funds were used to finance the party's programs,
\nespecially during the 1999 general election," he said in his
\naccountability speech at the party's congress here on Friday.<\/p>\n
An unabashed Yusril, who is the minister of law and
\nlegislation, defended the action.<\/p>\n
He said Habibie's contribution was not illegal because it was
\ndonated prior to the implementation of the 1999 law on political
\nparties which regulates campaign contributions.<\/p>\n
"Please, give me evidence that the financial assistance was
\nagainst the law. I'm ready to undergo a police investigation into
\nit," he said.<\/p>\n
"Besides, many other parties received funds from the former
\npresident too." He did not identify the parties.<\/p>\n
Yusril denied last year allegations he received some Rp 1.5
\nbillion in campaign funding from Habibie.<\/p>\n
The issue of the contribution is among the fissures which have
\ndivided the party congress.<\/p>\n
Yusril is expected to be reelected chairman when the congress
\ncloses on Sunday as 13 of the 28 provincial chapters declared
\nacceptance of his accountability speech and supported his
\nleadership.<\/p>\n
Terrorize<\/p>\n
The internal discord came to a head on Friday when 16 of the
\nparty's outgoing officials walked out of the congress.<\/p>\n
Kholil Ridwan, the party's outgoing deputy chairman, accused
\nsome party figures of political engineering for the sake of
\npersonal interests.<\/p>\n
"We see a number of uninvited participants disturbing the
\ncongress. Each time we enter the congress we are harassed and
\nterrorized for not supporting the reelection of the outgoing
\nchairman."<\/p>\n
Kholil said he and the 15 other officials would boycott the
\ncongress if the "uninvited participants" were not expelled.<\/p>\n
Fadli Zon, another outgoing deputy chairman, said the
\nofficials' rejected Yusril's accountability of his leadership.<\/p>\n
"Over the last year, Yusril and the outgoing secretary-general
\n(M.S. Ka'ban) led the party with an iron fist and both failed to
\nsolve internal conflicts among the outgoing executive board."<\/p>\n
Fadli urged the police to investigate Yusril's alleged
\ninvolvement in money politics.<\/p>\n
"The party received donations, including the one from Habibie,
\nbut they were never disclosed in party meetings," he said.<\/p>\n
"He (Yusril) was involved in money politics because the
\ndonation was received in the middle of February 1999 while the
\nlaw on political parties took effect on February 1, 1999."<\/p>\n
Achmad Sumargono, chairman of the PBB faction at the House of
\nRepresentatives, acknowledged the outgoing executive board was
\nnot consulted by Yusril before presenting the accountability
\nspeech.<\/p>\n
Achmad said he disagreed with many parts of Yusril's speech.
\n(rms)<\/p>",
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