KPU may sue critic for slander

KPU may sue critic for slander

JAKARTA: As if members of the Indonesian General Elections Commission (KPU) were not hard-pressed enough in carrying out their mission, they might soon find themselves with an additional job: dealing with a lawsuit.

KPU member Hamid Awaluddin, disclosed here on Friday that they had been mulling over a plan to sue the director of the Center for Regional Development Studies, Laode Ida, for allegedly making slanderous comments against the commission.

"We are gathering the evidence (for the lawsuit). Although we have not met in plenary session, all KPU members have the same opinion on the plan to file a lawsuit against Laode Ida," Hamid said.

He said Laode Ida -- who once nominated himself for membership of the General Elections Monitoring Committee, but was apparently rejected by the KPU -- has often discredited the commission.

He said the KPU members were open to criticism, "but cannot accept slander."

Asked to quote an example of Laode Ida's slander, Hamid referred to the latter's statement, widely quoted by the media, on KPU members receiving Rp 25 million (US$3,000) in monthly allowance.

KPU members reiterated, however, that they had neither met in plenary session to discuss the plan nor sought the services of legal counsel. --Antara