PAN chief faces axe for crime

PAN chief faces axe for crime

PALU, Central Kalimantan: Chairman of the National Mandate
Party (PAN) in the Central Sulawesi regency of Tolitoli, Mohammad
Arief Muluk, is facing the possibility of dismissal after the
local district court found him guilty of issuing a fake diploma
to one of his students.

Deputy chairman of PAN's provincial chapter Basir Nursin told
reporters on Monday that Arief's firing was almost certain for
bringing disrepute to the party and the local legislature.

"His misconduct has tarnished the party's image as well as his
own. As a councillor he should have been a role model for the
people," Basir said.

The Tolitoli District Court sentenced Arief recently to six
months' probation for the crime, which surfaced when one of his
students was registering to sit for a senior high school final
exam.

Arief was the principal of a local Islamic junior high school
run by the Muhammadiyah Muslim organization when he issued the
fake diploma for his student, who failed to pass the school's
final exam several years ago.

"The case has been submitted to the PAN central board of
executives," Basir said. (24)