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.