Eight submit fake diplomas, six brought to police
Eight submit fake diplomas, six brought to police
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Jakarta Provincial Elections Commission (KPUD) announced on
Friday that eight legislative candidates from various parties had
submitted fake diplomas, while the Jakarta Election Supervisory
Committee (Panwaslu) reported six other candidates to the Jakarta
Police for various offenses.
"We found eight candidates had handed in fake diplomas, six
from high schools and two from universities, after we double-
checked with the schools," said the KPUD chairman Mohamad Taufik.
The chairman of the West Jakarta branch of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Mustaman, who is also a
member of the Jakarta City Council, is one of those candidates
who allegedly submitted a fake diploma with his candidacy
documents.
The seven other candidates identified by KPUD are Achmad
Laisak of the Golkar Party's South Jakarta branch, Arifuddin of
the New Indonesia Alliance Party (PPIB)'s North Jakarta branch,
R. Sumantri RM of the North Jakarta branch of the United
Democratic Nationhood Party (PPDK), Belly Belalu Salam of the
United Development Party (PPP)'s East Jakarta branch, Djaya
Kartakusumah of the East Jakarta branch of Golkar, Supardiman of
the Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI Marhaenisme) and
Acun Sunanjaya of the Central Jakarta branch of Golkar.
"We have handed over copies of these fake diplomas to Panwaslu
so that they can look into whether or not to involve the police
in the matter," Taufik said.
He also said the names of other legislative candidates who
submitted fake diplomas would be announced as they were
discovered.
Panwaslu, meanwhile, said it had reported six legislative
candidates and one Regional Representative Council member to the
police for various offenses.
"We filed police reports because AB Susanto of the National
Awakening Party (PKB) and Tiurlan Hutagaol of the Prosperous
Peace Party (PDS) were campaigning in churches, while Lasman Y
Siahaan and Mustaman submitted fake school diplomas," said the
head of Jakarta Panwaslu, Sarluhut Napitupulu.
According to electoral regulations, campaigning in places of
worships is prohibited.
"Two other PPP (candidates) were also campaigning early. I
think these cases are ready for trial," said Sarluhut.
Law No. 12/2003 on general elections and KPU regulations
states that a candidate that submits fake documents will be
removed from the list of legislative candidates, while the
Panwaslu has the authority to report violations to the police.
Jakarta Police spokesman Comr. Prasetyo said the police had
received Panwaslu's complaints and were processing the cases.
"We have a special team to investigate election violations and
they have examined the cases. We have 30 days to forward the
cases to the prosecutor's office," he said.
He added that the police would also use the criminal law to
charge candidates who submitted fake documents.