Al-Zaytun exec named suspect in press case
Nana Rukmana, Indramayu
Police here named a senior executive of the Al-Zaytun Islamic boarding school as a suspect on Thursday, for allegedly ordering that 13 journalists be forcibly removed from the campus in Indramayu, West Java.
Abdul Halim, a close aide of Al-Zaytun head A.S. Panji Gumilang, was charged with an attempt to curb press freedom over the incident on July 7, said Indramayu Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Siswanto.
He said the decision was made after his office questioned the 13 victims and three school employees.
"We are charging Abdul Halim under the Press Law as he prevented journalists from seeking information that was in the public's interests," Indramayu Police detective officer First Insp. Ferdinand said.
He said that if found guilty the suspect could be imprisoned for two years and fined Rp 500 million (US$55,555), according to Article 18 of Press Law No. 40/1999.
The suspect was also charged with libel and insult based on Articles 310 and 311 of the Criminal Code, Ferdinand added.
Halim could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
The 13 journalists complained that they were forcibly removed from the campus while trying to seek information on suspected vote-rigging at Al-Zaytun during the July 5 presidential election.
The number of voters there swelled to more 24,800 with over 90 percent of them voting for Golkar Party's candidate Gen. (ret.) Wiranto. In the April 5 legislative election, around 11,000 voters registered at the school.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has scheduled the revote at Al-Zaytun for July 25.
The incident drew protests from various press organizations, including the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) and the Television Journalists Solidarity Group (SJTC).
Al-Zaytun, the largest Islamic boarding school in Southeast Asia -- located in Mekarjaya village, Gantar district -- is known for its tight security.
The immensely wealthy school, currently home to 7,000 students from across the country, was once under the spotlight for its alleged links with extremist groups.
Its leader, Panji Gumilang, was accused of being a former member of the outlawed Darus Islam group that violently campaigned for an Indonesian Islamic State (NII).
However, Panji flatly denied the accusations.
In a related development, Indramayu elections commission chairman Kurdi Sutrisna said on Thursday that the planned revote would go ahead on Sunday, despite the lack of funds.
He was responding to West Java Governor Danny Setyawan's statement that his administration would not provide the "at least Rp 120 million" requested to finance the revote.
The funds would be used to establish 83 polling stations at the school and pay elections committee officials, Kurdi said.