Councillor assaulted over school policy
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali
Dozens of people, dressed in black T-shirts emblazoned with the name of their group, the Forum Peduli Denpasar (FPD), on Friday assaulted an outspoken member of the Denpasar legislature.
Teruna Jaya of the National Mandate Party (PAN) was caught up in a melee with FPD before the group later stormed the local party office and inflicted some more damage.
The assault took place at around 11:10 a.m. local time in the front of the legislature building on Jl. Melati.
According to Teruna Jaya, the incident took place after he tried to arrange for 10 people to enter the building to air their complaints with the legislature's speaker over the "unfairness" of the recent public school admittance process.
But they were blocked by the FPD members, who were holding a vigil nearby apparently in favor of the new policy.
Teruna Jaya tried repeatedly to gain entry for the 10 people, including by contacting the speaker Ketut Sukita. Although Sukita gave his permission, the FPD members refused to let them in.
"Suddenly they (FPD members) all stood up, sprinkled me with mineral water before starting to assault me; struck me with their fists and helmets and kicked me," Teruna told.
The Denpasar police chief Adj. Comr. Helmy Santika, who was on the scene, immediately threw himself between Teruna Jaya and the FPD folk, trying to use his own body as a shield to protect the council member from a further beating. He then escorted Teruna Jaya into a room in the adjacent building.
"However, the FPD members chased me down into the room and began assaulting me again. I was later evacuated in a police squad car to the Denpasar police station," Teruna said.
Teruna sustained bumps and bruises all over his head and face as a result of the assault.
"That was a brutal action. However, it will not stop me from defending the public interest," he said.
Known for his no-compromise, outspoken attitude, Teruna was a staunch supporter of the recent waves of protests staged by hundreds of parents, who had been disappointed by the new student admittance process.
Teruna has claimed the policy is marred with irregularities, and had caused many qualified students to lose their chance to get into public school.
Teruna's stance had antagonized the head of the local education agency and the Denpasar Mayor, AA Puspayoga, who had admitted that the process was flawed but refused to reverse the results.
FPD, which was established to help keep Denpasar a safe and orderly city, is known to be a staunch supporter of Puspayoga.
A few minutes after assaulting Teruna, the FPD members dashed to the Denpasar branch office of the National Mandate Party (PAN) in the Ubung area. They ransacked the office, broke the windows, damaged the furniture and pulled down the party's wooden placard.
"I heard some commotion and saw several people with black FPD shirts in the area," the owner of the building, I Made Sudiarsa claimed.
Bali police spokeswoman Sr. Comr. Rosalia Pengasihan Gaut stated that the police were conducting and intensive investigation over the incident.
"We do not meddle in political affairs. However, the incident involved assault and battery and vandalism, so we consider those things to be legal violations. These (violations) are punishable by law," she asserted.
Separately, Bali Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Herman Hidayat, who had personally met with and received Teruna's complaint, ordered his men to immediately apprehend the perpetrators.