Official recounts Budiman's early Marxist tendencies

JAKARTA (JP): Budiman Sujatmiko, the chairman of the Democratic People's Party (PRD), has had a strong fascination with Marxism since his senior high school days in the 1980s, a Bogor regency official said yesterday.

Yamin M. Saleh, a member of staff at Bogor's sociopolitical office, told the Central Jakarta District Court that in 1988, he interviewed Budiman after the headmaster of the SMAN 5 state high school alerted him of Budiman's activities.

In the interview Budiman admitted he was establishing a discussion group which he called the Marx House.

"I also asked him who were his idols, and he mentioned among others (Vladimir) Lenin and (Josip Broz) Tito," Yamin said. "He also said that he was studying the 'new left' concept," Yamin added.

Yamin was testifying for the prosecutors in the trial of Budiman, 26, who is being tried for subversion. Budiman and eight other PRD activists are accused of undermining the state and insulting government officials.

Yamin recalled a letter which Budiman wrote to a friend while still at senior high school in which he used jargon like eureka, comrade in arms and red greeting.

Yamin showed a copy of the letter to the court.

The letter was addressed to a friend of Budiman's, Agung, in Cilacap, Central Java. Yamin did not explain in court how his office had acquired the letter. When prompted by the judge, he promised to submit the original to the court.

When Judge Sjoffinan Sumantri asked for his comments, Budiman objected to Yamin's testimony because it related to activities in 1988 while he is being indicted for activities in 1995 and 1996.

His lawyer Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan protested the testimony because Yamin was forming an opinion. Luhut also demanded that the witness show the original letter.

Yamin's testimony was adjourned until next week by when he is expected to produce the original letter.

In another hearing yesterday, PRD deputy chairman in charge of education, I Gusti Agung Anom Astika, refused to testify against fellow PRD activist Petrus Haryanto.

Testifying against Petrus, who is facing the same charges as him, amounted to "a violation of human rights", Anom told the South Jakarta District Court.

Anom used the opportunity to retract the written statement he had given to interrogators which is now being used by the prosecutors against Petrus.

The panel of judges said it would consider Anom's retraction demand. (05/08)