Bintang's law suit rejected

JAKARTA: The Central Jakarta District Court yesterday rejected Sri Bintang Pamungkas' lawsuit against the United Development Party (PPP) for firing him from the House of Representatives.

Judge Burhan Husein Putradjaja said that the lawsuit was "defective" because the party was not a legal body, like a company, that could be sued in a civil case.

"The lawsuit should have been filed against persons on the party's central board of executives," Burhan said.

Bintang lost his seat in the House in May last year during the course of the police investigation over his alleged involvement in an anti-Indonesian government speech in Germany. PPP leaders said Bintang had repeatedly contradicted the party's official line on many political issues.

Burhan pointed out that there are still two other persons endorsing Bintang's dismissal, President Soeharto and House Speaker Wahono, who were not mentioned in the suit.

Bintang's lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution said he would appeal. (16)