Golkar supporters angry over bribery

TANGERANG (JP): Hundreds of local Golkar Party supporters here flooded the party's mayoralty chapter office on Monday, condemning alleged bribery committed by their party's treasurer.

They brought harshly worded leaflets alleging that Abas Sunarya spent Rp 400 million (US$57,140) to ensure a Golkar victory and for his personal benefit.

"It's obvious that Golkar has manipulated votes to compel its cadres to be elected as legislative members," said Mahmudin, one of the protesters. "A representative of the National Awakening Party (PKB) in Jatiuwung district also was told to sign an empty party members list."

Earlier on Saturday, two Golkar cadres here filed a report with Tangerang Police over an alleged bribe from Abas.

In their police report, Sigit and Budi from Jatiuwung district said the party's treasurer bribed them on Friday after the two questioned the sudden escalation of votes for the party, from 27,377 to 37,354, in the district.

Abas, they claimed, handed over Rp 1 million to Sigit and an envelope containing Rp 100,000 to Budi, telling them not to ask further questions about the voting figures of the party.

Sigit, who is also an executive of Golkar's district chapter in Jatiuwung, and Budi reported the case to the police the following day and handed over the cash as evidence.

But Sigit said officers at the Tangerang Police station refused to process their complaints and instead suggested they settle the case out of the court with Abas.

The men refused and filed reports with the Jakarta Police Headquarters on the same day.

"I don't want to compromise with Abas," Sigit said.

Abas denies the allegations and plans to report the two to the police for defamation.(41/emf)