McCarthy denies wrongdoing

McCarthy denies wrongdoing

JAKARTA: Paul McCarthy, one of two Australians deported by the
immigration office in the East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang,
has denied accusations that he violated immigration regulations.

McCarthy, of the Australian Light Horse Cadets -- Overseas
Community Aid, said that the accusations of political objectives,
made on Wednesday by acting head of the Kupang Immigration office
Immanuel Pulungan, were baseless.

"The accusations showed that there isn't any gratitude to what
I have done in donating Rp 25 billion to help the local
administration handle the repatriation of the East Timorese
refugees," he said in a statement made available to The Jakarta
Post on Friday.

He said he did not need any appreciation as the most important
thing for him was how to further his humanitarian mission to save
the refugees, who mostly live in miserable conditions at the
refugee camp in the province.

"The fact is that I was deported not because I did anything
wrong, but because I refused to meet his request for cash
amounting to Rp 5 million," he said. -- JP