Mob vandalize Tangerang Council
Mob vandalize Tangerang Council
TANGERANG (JP): Hundreds of people ran amok and vandalized the Tangerang Council building on Monday morning during a rally demanding the resignation of four councillors from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjaungan).
The mob, who claimed to be local residents, also beat one of the four councillors and another man who initially joined the rally but later told journalists at the scene that he took part in the rally under the order of the council speaker.
With posters and banners, the protesters accused the four councillors of having betrayed Tangerang Council Speaker, Gian Sugiharsono, who is from the same party.
Security personnel from the Tangerang Police station, which is about 500 meters from the council building, arrived at the scene one hour after the vandalism began.
Up to Monday evening, none of the police officers were willing to explain their late arrival to secure the building and the safety of the councillors.
The two wounded victims in the incident were identified as councillor Teddy Subrata and Ahmad Sanusi, a resident of the Pasar Kemis area.
Teddy, chairman of PDI Perjuangan faction at the council, who suffered serious wounds to his head, doubted the protesters were local PDI Perjuangan supporters.
"None of the attackers identified me. They just beat me up blindly. I really regret this incident and I will simply let the local police probe the case," Teddy said after receiving four stitches.
Sanusi was attacked by other protesters after he told reporters that he and the protesters staged the rally at the council building based on the order of Gian, who promised to pay them after the mission was completed.
"I was at home when the council speaker called me by phone to join a rally at the council building and promised to give us money later," Sanusi said.
He sustained serious injuries to the head and was immediately rushed to the nearby Tangerang Hospital for treatment.
Police have so far made no arrests. But they questioned at least several councillors, including Teddy and those from other factions, as witnesses.
Speaker Gian could not be reached for further comment.
The protesters started gathering around the council building complex on the busy street of Jl. Nyimas Melati at 9 a.m.
According to them, Teddy and the three other councillors from PDI Perjuangan, namely Dedy Safei, Sri Hartati and Hasaduddin Bijei should resign from their position at the council because the four members betrayed their own party.
The four PDI Perjuangan members, they said, had voted for a motion of no confidence to be passed against speaker Gian.
Neither the protesters, nor Teddy, were willing to give any further explanations about the case.
"These four councillors are no longer fit for their current posts. They are traitors," cried one of the protesters.
The mob then smashed the building's windows and damaged several pieces of equipment inside. (41/bsr)