Megawati's signature allegedly faked in regental election
Megawati's signature allegedly faked in regental election
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
The director of a local non-governmental organization (NGO)
said on Wednesday that President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
signature was forged in order for a candidate to win support from
his party in the Tangerang regental election.
Ibnu Jandi of the Public Policy Institute (KLP) said the
executive board of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan) in Banten issued a recommendation on Jan. 7,
which was allegedly signed by the party's chairwoman, Megawati
Soekarnoputri.
"We discovered that Megawati's signature on the recommendation
was forged after comparing it with her signature in the 2002
Korpri anniversary book, but both of them are very different,"
Jandi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
He said that the signature did not have to be an exact match,
but that the style should at least be the same.
Recommendation No. A-072/IN/DPP/I/2003 contains four points of
instruction from the party in Banten. One point instructs all
Tangerang PDI Perjuangan councillors to elect Doddy Anshory, the
chairman of the party's faction in Tangerang, who is one of the
candidates, as the new Tangerang regent for the 2003 to 2008
period.
Another point in the recommendation called on all party
activists and cadres in the regency to implement the policy made
by the PDI Perjuangan party in Banten. The recommendation went on
to say that those who did not obey the points outlined in the
recommendation would be sanctioned.
Jandi said that the regency council and its regental election
committee would investigate the allegations.
"If the allegations turn out to be true, it means that the
election was rigged and there will be repercussions from it," he
added.
Doddy Anshory strongly denied allegations that the President's
signature had been forged, saying that the party had gone through
the right channels to issue the recommendation.
"The recommendation was issued by the PDI Perjuangan in
Banten, not only Doddy. Megawati is the President. Who would
chance forging her signature? Whoever could do such a thing is
really brave," Doddy told the Post.
The election committee has listed the five leading pairs of
candidates competing for the seats of regent and deputy regent in
a final election to be held on Feb. 27.
The candidates are: Ismet Iskandar and Noodom Sukarno of the
National Awakening Party (PKB), Nahdlatul Ulama Party (PNU) and
Justice and Unity Party (PKP) factions, Cecep Mihardja and
Khamrin Jafar of the Functional Group Golkar faction, Dadang
Kartsasmita and Ichsan Soelistio of the Unity and Development
Party (PPP) faction, Doddy Anshory and Purwandi of the PDI
Perjuangan faction and Dadang Kartasasmita and M Fadli Rakasima
of the Justice Party (PK) faction.