Four councillors arrested for drugs

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.