FBR chairman admits seeking donations

FBR chairman admits seeking donations

Ahmad Junaidi and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) chairman, A. Fadloli El
Muhir, has been under the spotlight a lot lately. After the
attention-grabbing FBR attack on the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC)
on March 28, he stole the show on Tuesday.

Fadloli admitted that FBR has been asking for donations from
companies and other institutions to build a worker training
center in Penggilingan subdistrict, East Jakarta.

"We have been asking for donations, but we have never forced
them (to donate)," Fadloli, who is also a member of the Supreme
Advisory Council (DPA), told The Jakarta Post by phone.

However, a copy of a letter sent to the Post states ".... if
you do not respond to this letter, it means your company is not
supportive and is ignoring the Betawi people as native Jakartans.
FBR will do something to unsupportive entrepreneurs." The letter
was signed by Fadloli and FBR secretary Lutfi Hakim and bore the
FBR stamp.

"That's normal. Many other organizations also ask for
donations," Fadloli said.

He claimed he had still to receive money for the development
of the Rp 16 million (US$1,600) training center.

The donation proposals were distributed to companies and
institutions earlier this year, before FBR members were involved
in a violent attack against members of the UPC at the National
Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) office in Central Jakarta
on March 28.

Governor Sutiyoso and city police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul
Padmanegara said they had no information about the request for
donations.

Despite the controversy, Fadloli could still feel relieved as
DPA chairman Achmad Tirtosudiro has turned a blind eye to reports
that FBR has often asked for money from companies.

"We don't know yet ... Should any company have evidence
supporting its allegations, please give it to us for further
consideration," he said.

Speaking at a media conference, Tirtosudiro, who was
accompanied by deputy chairman Achmad Bagdja, said the Council
had decided to give verbal and written warnings to Fadloli over
the attack. He also called on him "to immediately control his
members, as well as improve his image as a public figure."

Tirtosudiro said that Fadloli had admitted to threatening to
beat up UPC chairwoman, Wardah Hafidz, and had subsequently
apologized for his statement.

During the March 28 attack, FBR members, using wooden sticks
and swords, hit people about the head, including women and
children. They also put a machete to Wardah's neck.

"Fadloli denied the allegation, saying it was baseless. He
claimed none of the FBR members had attacked women and children,"
Tirtosudiro said. He was immediately booed by several reporters
who had witnessed the attack.

He further suggested FBR and UPC continue the ongoing legal
process in an effort to find out if the FBR was really
responsible for the violence.

Asked if the DPA would allow Fadloli, who is the city chapter
chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), to be
questioned by an enforcement agency Tirtosudiro simply said:
"Just go ahead if that's needed."

The city police have sent a letter requesting President
Megawati Soekarnoputri's approval to summon Fadloli for
questioning over the attack.