Golkar member stabbed to death after meeting

Golkar member stabbed to death after meeting

Oyos Saroso, The Jakarta Post/Central Lampung

Robinson, 40, a senior Golkar Party member in Central Lampung
regency, was stabbed to death late on Thursday after a party
meeting.

The bloody incident began when dozens of Golkar Party
councillors and activists had finished an internal party meeting
at Golkar's Central Lampung party headquarters.

The meeting, led by the chairman of Golkar's Central Lampung
branch I Made Bagiasa, initially went smoothly, said chief of
Central Lampung Regental Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Juni.

But, it became unruly when the party members discussed the
disbursement of allowances to the executives at the party's
district offices throughout Central Lampung regency.

The money, between Rp 350,000 and Rp 750,000 per person has so
far been distributed regularly to the party's district executives
at the beginning of every month. But the district executives had
not received their January allowance by the end of January,
fueling their anger.

In order to resolve the problem, Golkar councillor Noven
Ahdariyanto proposed that the stipend for January and February
this year be disbursed in March.

But, Robinson, the chief of Golkar's Padangratu district, was
apparently dissatisfied with the proposal.

"If you cannot pay even for a year, it does not matter. We are
not going to die because of it," Robinson said, taunting Noven.

Noven was enraged and warned Robinson not to seek trouble.
Other Golkar councillors and activists calmed Noven down, but he
left Golkar headquarters enraged.

A few hours later, Noven returned to the Golkar headquarters
with his friend Andi, 30.

The meeting had just ended, but many party members were still
sitting around chatting.

Noven looked for Robinson and when he found him, he pushed him
into a corner. The two were involved in a fierce argument that
ended in a fight. Andi came to Noven's aid and the fight turned
bloody after Andi pulled out a knife and stabbed Robinson
repeatedly. Robinson was stabbed in the neck and chest and soon
fell to the ground.

Knowing that Robinson was badly hurt, the two left the
building immediately.

Other Golkar activists and councillors quickly brought
Robinson to a local hospital, but he died shortly after arriving
in the hospital because he had lost so much blood.

Police swiftly hunted down Andi and arrested him later at
Immanuel Hospital in Bandarlampung at Thursday night, while Noven
is still at large. The police have seized the knife and
questioned five witnesses.

Chief of Golkar Party's Lampung provincial chapter Alzier
Dianis Thabrani said that the party would take stern measures
against Noven if he was found guilty in the case.