Four councillors arrested for drugs
Oyos Saroso, The Jakarta Post, Bandar Lampung, Lampung
The police in Teluk Betung Utara, Lampung, arrested 11 people, including four councillors of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), for consuming ecstasy at a karaoke hall on Sunday.
A number of ecstasy pills were also seized as evidence from several people.
The four legislators were Yur Aplah and Joko, both members of the South Lampung regency legislative council, Hendro, a member of the North Lampung regency legislature, and Bonanza Kesuma, a member of the Central Lampung regency legislature.
The seven others were Rusliansyah, Yantie, Huzairi, Alhajar, Yeni, Marla and Refi.
"For the time being, the four councillors and Marla and Refi are being held as suspects because -- according to the test conducted by the police -- they definitely consumed the banned drug, while the remaining five are still undergoing intensive interrogation," said Bandar Lampung Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Bung Jono here on Monday.
Jono said the remaining five were being held as witnesses in the case, but they could be declared suspects pending the results of the police investigation.
He said the 11 people were netted in a raid after the local police received a report from someone identified as Ud.
"Ud reported that there was a drug party in a particular room at the Millennium karaoke hall on Jl. Yos Sudarso in Teluk Betung Utara on Sunday night. All 11 were arrested. The councillors received no special treatment. The case will be followed up in accordance with the law," he said.
Last December, the local police also arrested the chairman of the local chapter of PDI Perjuangan, Setyawan Dwi Prasodjo, for having a drug party at the Nirwana Discotheque in the city.
Sahzan Safri, chairman of the provincial chapter of PDI Perjuangan, said in the city that his party would not interfere in the police investigation because it was purely a criminal case.
"If the legislators are found guilty they should be punished according to the law. All citizens, including legislators, are equal before the law and we want to show PDI Perjuangan's commitment to complying with the law," he said.