Golkar executive detained

SURABAYA: Prosecutors detained the head of the Golkar Party chapter in Surabaya on Tuesday on charges of misusing party funds, marking the latest arrest of a senior politician in the East Java city.

Golkar executive Amien Ismail was sent to Madaeng prison after prosecutors summoned him to their office.

"As a good citizen I still respect the supremacy of the law," said Amien, who is also a member of the Surabaya City Council.

Prosecutors charged him of selling a car that belonged to Golkar, and using the proceeds to buy another car for himself.

"This is not a corruption case but an ordinary crime," said the head of the prosecutors' office, Luhut Pakpahan.

His office had earlier detained City Council Speaker M. Basuki and his deputy Ali Burhan on corruption charges.

The arrests come against the backdrop of a tense relationship between the council and Surabaya Mayor Bambang Dwi Hartono.

Last year, Bambang survived councillors' attempts to remove him just a month after they had managed to dismiss his predecessor. -- JP