Legislators face probe over PDI-P attack

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Police have vowed to summon three councillors for questioning over allegations they attacked demonstrators during an antigovernment rally in Palu, Central Sulawesi.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Ricky F. Wakanno, chief of detectives at the Central Sulawesi Police, made the promise after about 1,000 protesters gathered at his office on Monday to demand the arrest of the three Indonesian Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) councillors: Sjafrun Abdullah, Muharram Nurdin and Burhan Lamangkona.

"Today (Monday) we will submit a form asking the Central Sulawesi governor for permission to summon the three legislators," Ricky told the demonstrators, members of the Forum for the Poor.

The protesters complained that some of their colleagues had been detained over the attack on Jan. 15, but that the police allowed the three councillors to remain free.

Ricky said the police had received a complaint from a man identified as Risnandar, who claimed that he was beaten by Burhan Lamangkona during the antigovernment protest on Jan. 15.

The beating is believed to have sparked the attack on the PDI Perjuangan headquarters.

The demonstrators on Monday also demanded that President Megawati Soekarnoputri resign over the steep increases in electricity rates and fuel prices.

Taking part in the protest were three well-known figures, Urban Poor Consortium coordinator Wardah Hafidz, political analyst George Aditjondro and lawyer Jhonson Panjaitan. --JP