Bintang's house attact

Bintang's house attact

JAKARTA (JP): The house of Sri Bintang Pamungkas was vandalized in the early morning hours yesterday as a police investigation of the controversial legislator continues into his alleged role in an anti-Indonesian government demonstration in Germany.

"Part of the front window of my house and the rear window of my car were smashed this morning," Bintang told reporters as he emerged from six hours of questioning at National Police headquarters yesterday.

He said that at about 1:30 a.m., his wife had woken him and told him there had been an unusual sound, like breaking glass. He did nothing because he was tired and decided to go back to sleep, he said.

When the couple checked in the morning, they found the rear window of their car had been smashed.

A second attack occurred at about 6.30 a.m. when men on motorcycles threw stones at the house, he said. He said that he could not identify the men.

Bintang, who lives in the Bukit Permai Housing Complex in Cibubur, East Jakarta, said he reported the incident to the neighborhood police station on his way to the national police headquarters.

Bintang went to the national police for the second day running yesterday to comply with a police summons in connection with an investigation into a series of demonstrations against the Indonesian government in Germany during President Soeharto's recent visit to that country.

He said he had been asked to come again today.

Police said that Bintang's status as of yesterday remained that of a "witness" who was helping them with their enquiry.

The legislator of the United Development Party (PPP) has been named by the military as one of a number of Indonesians who took part in, or mobilized, the protests in Germany. Two others named by the military were senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad and human rights activist Yeni Rosa Damayanti.

All three have denied any part in the demonstrations. So far, however, police are only questioning Bintang.

Given his position as a member of the House of Representatives, police have secured the approval of President Soeharto to question him. But Bintang yesterday said his investigators had not been able to show him the letter from Soeharto.

Bintang insisted again yesterday that he was innocent and said that the allegations were made by people who disliked him.

"I am innocent," he told reporters as he was whisked away by his lawyers to his car after the long interrogation.

Lawyers Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan and R. Dwiyanto Prihartono, both from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, were present during the police questioning yesterday.

Bintang said police asked about his whereabouts during the April 2 demonstration in Hannover in front of the city hall.

He said that he was near the site at the time, out of curiosity, but he insisted that he did not take part in the protest. "I did not carry any green posters and was not involved in the demonstrations," he said.

Bintang, known for his harsh criticisms of the government, was in Germany for a series of speaking engagements at a number of universities there, including in Hannover, at about the same that the President was making his state visit.

Meanwhile, PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said yesterday that he had no intention of intervening in the investigation against Bintang and would leave the matter to the government.

"The PPP is not responsible for Bintang's personal actions, although he is currently still registered as a member of the House of Representatives from the PPP faction," he said after opening a provincial conference of the PPP's West Sumatra chapter in Padang, Antara reported.

Ismail Hasan said Bintang had gone to Germany without informing the party leaders. "As a PPP legislator, he was supposed to notify the PPP faction of his trip to Germany."

The PPP leadership last week publicly apologized to President Soeharto and the nation for Bintang's behavior, although at that time the police investigation had not even begun.

The latest incident involving Bintang occurred as his position in the House of Representatives is under review after Ismail Hasan requested the House leadership to have him removed.

Another senior PPP leader, Aisyah Amini, yesterday warned that Bintang could be fired from the party altogether if he was proven guilty of taking part in the German protests. "Bintang's membership of the PPP could be terminated if the court later decides that Bintang is guilty," Aisyah said. (imn)