Megawati, Hasyim accused of vote-buying
Megawati, Hasyim accused of vote-buying
Indra Harsaputra and Blontank Poer, Surabaya/Surakarta
East Java's General Elections Commission (KPUD) is investigating
a report that a number of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) clerics had
received US$10,000 each to support Megawati Soekarnoputri and her
running mate Hasyim Muzadi.
"We have received the report from people and are looking into
the case," East Java KPUD member Aribowo told The Jakarta Post on
Friday in Surabaya.
He said that those reportedly given the money were clerics in
East Java and Central Java.
The KPUD has also listed the names of clerics, who were
offered money by Megawati-Hasyim's campaign team members ahead of
the July 5 presidential election.
The list, Aribowo said, included Ubaidillah Faqih from Tuban,
Abdul Gofur from Lamongan, Mas Subadar from Pasuruan, Idris
Marzuki and Saidin Zalzuli, both from Kediri. All are from East
Java.
"Based on statements from witnesses, only Mas Subadar who once
issued a religious edict against a woman president refused the
fund, while Ubaidillah Faqih eventually supported candidates
Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid but the use of fund given to him was
not clear," Aribowo added.
He said that among the NU clerics from Central Java, also
offered dollars, were Hasbullah from Cilacap, Muntoha from
Wonosobo, Zakroni from Kudus, Masruri from Brebes, Maimun Zubair
from Rembang, Abdul Wahid from Purwodadi and Sahal Mahfudz from
Semarang.
Based on the report, only Abdul Wahid and Sahal Mahfudz turned
down the offer, Aribowo added.
"KH Abdul Wahid is prepared to testify after the Legal Aid
Institute gives him legal protection," he added.
The East Java KPUD also said its members had met an
influential cleric, identified only by his initials as JL from
Tulungagung, East Java, who admitted that he rejected an offer of
Rp 4 billion from the same campaign team.
NU sources from Central Java confirmed that at least two
influential clerics in the province rejected Rp 100 million and
US$10,000 offered to them respectively by the local Megawati-
Hasyim campaign team. They declined to name them.
Aribowo said his office would take the case to the central
Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) after completing the
investigation.
Panwaslu member Didik Supriyanto said he did hear a report of
$10,000 being distributed to each NU cleric in East and Central
Java ahead of the presidential election.
The accusation was denied by Halim Mahfud, a member of the
Megawati-Hasyim campaign team. "How could Pak Hasyim own such a
huge amount of money for donations," he said.
However, he admitted that Hasyim had often given donations to
clerics long before he was picked by Megawati as her running
mate.
Based on the Election Law, candidates could be charged with
vote buying if they, their families or campaigners gave funds and
asked the recipients to vote for their candidates.