Candidate sentenced for fake document

SEMARANG: The Semarang District Court has sentenced Siti Fatimah to three months in jail and fined her Rp 3 million (US$352.9) for using fake documents for her candidacy as a member of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

Presiding Judge Edy Sudarmahono said that Fatimah had violated Law No.12/2003 on elections.

Nur Hidayat Sardini, the chairman of the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) in Central Java, said that the case was the first of its kind nationwide.

Prosecutor Edy said that Fatimah had been proved to have included several names on a list of people supporting his candidacy as a DPD member without their consent.

Anton Sujarwo, Andi Surya Saputra and Irfani, who were among the people listed as Fatimah's supporters, denied the claim and said that they had never been contacted by Fatimah.

Edy said that Fatimah was cooperative during the trial process and that had been taken into account by the court. -- JP