KAMMI to sue PDI-P over brutal attack

SURABAYA: The United Front of Indonesian Muslim Students (KAMMI) plans to sue the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and its supporters who attacked four KAMMI members on Friday in Malang, leaving one in a coma.

"We are collecting information on the case," Tulus Wahyono, one of KAMMI's lawyers, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

The four KAMMI members were still being treated at the Syaiful Anwar Hospital in the East Java municipality of Malang. One of them, Khoirul Anam, remains in a comma.

The incident began when some 70 supporters of the PDI-P flocked to the headquarters of KAMMI's Malang branch on Friday. They were looking for Rully Novianto, KAMMI Malang's branch head.

KAMMI members had earlier burned PDI-P flags in a protest, PDI-P Malang head Peni Suparto said.

Rully was not there and the supporters became angry. They were then involved in a heated argument with some KAMMI members in the headquarters and began attacking them.

As a result, four people were injured, including Khoirul Anam.

Rully Novianto was questioned at the Malang Police headquarters on Saturday afternoon. Police said they were looking into the case.

Peni regretted the attack but said PDI-P supporters could not be solely blamed.

"Had KAMMI members not burned PDI-P flags in a recent KAMMI protests, the attack would not have happened," he said. -- JP