Group wants action against corruptions

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of activists from several organizations, including Humanika, Pijar and Moslem Students Organization (HMI), demanded the government seize corruptors' wealth in a protest in front of the Attorney General's Office on Friday.

"The (current) government faces financial difficulties and is forced to lift subsidies from cooking oil and flour, which have caused many people to suffer. Why don't we just seize the corruptors' wealth and allocate it for the interest of all," coordinator of the group Andrianto said outside the compound in South Jakarta.

The group also demanded complete investigations of bankers allegedly involved in credit scams which caused the government to suffer estimated losses of Rp 150 trillion.

Officials of the Attorney General's Office prevented the protesters from entering the compound. They were allowed to hold a free-speech forum in front of the office's gate.

The one-hour protest continued with a march to the House of Representatives in Central Jakarta, about 10 kilometers away.

Although many pedestrians along busy Jl. Jend. Sudirman watched the marchers, there was no traffic congestion because police had cleared the slow lane for the protesters.

When the demonstrators arrived at the House of Representatives' compound, they stood in front of the House's gate under the watchful eyes of police.

They unfurled banners bearing caricatures of former president Soeharto and bankers.

"We're not planning to meet any House members, but we hope that during our street rally people will read and hear our messages that our reform struggle has not finished yet," Andrianto said. (emf)