Djafar urged to quit

JAKARTA (JP): Some 50 supporters of the United Development Party (PPP) staged a rally in front of the city council building on Tuesday to demand newly installed party councilor Djafar Badjeber resign for endorsing gambling in the city.

Displaying banners and posters, the protesters, grouped under Forum Anak Bangsa (the Forum of the Nation's Children) condemned Djafar's approval on the proposal to legalize gambling in the city.

"We demand the council investigate Djafar. He should resign," the group's coordinator, Bambang Hardiatma, said.

He said they were dissatisfied with Djafar's earlier statement that gambling could be tolerated if it added to the city's revenue.

He said Djafar, who is also PPP chairman of the Jakarta chapter, had allegedly backed and received money from gamblers.

Djafar denied the allegations, saying that their accusation was slanderous.

"The protest was piloted by PPP's cadres who were not elected to the new council," he said.

Djafar, who was installed as city councilor last week, said PPP had not changed its policy and still rejected gambling activities in the city.

But he acknowledged that he once suggested that gambling activities should be localized to a certain place, such as on an island in Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands chain) to avoid an increase of gambling in the city.

"But, it's just a personal thought I had when I was a member of the former council's Commission B for economic affairs. It's not my party's position," he said.

Abdul Aziz Matnur, a member of the Justice Party (PK) and the youngest in the 1999-2004 council, was also displeased with Djafar's statement.

"However, it's an internal party problem. We (PK) try not to interfere with it," Aziz told reporters after seeing the protesters on Tuesday. (jun)