PAN councillor rejects dismissal over rape charge

PAN councillor rejects dismissal over rape charge

JAKARTA (JP): A city councillor from the National Mandate
Party (PAN), who was earlier reported to police for alleged
sexual harassment, rejected on Wednesday the party's decision to
fire him.

Councillor M. Syamsuardi Botan told reporters that he had
heard about his planned dismissal, "But until now, I have yet to
receive a letter of dismissal".

Syamsuardi, also secretary of the council's Commission A for
administrative and legal affairs, said he would reject his
party's decision to dismiss him since he had been freed from the
rape charge.

He said he had just received a letter from the Jakarta Police
canceling the case as there was not enough evidence to continue
investigations.

He viewed a conspiracy from certain people in his party to
remove him from the council.

He said that if the party still tried to dismiss him, he would
file a lawsuit against the party.

The party's executive, M. Suwardi, revealed on Tuesday that
the party's central board decided in its meeting on April 6 to
dismiss Syamsyuadi.

Suwardi, also the council's deputy chairman, said the party
decided to dismiss Syamsyuadi because the rape case was related
to the party's image.

Police questioned Syamsuardi in March this year after
receiving a report from a woman, identified as Nurul Fatmawati
Alifa, who claimed to have been molested by the councillor.

Alifa said the councillor raped her in April, 1997 in Ancol,
North Jakarta while her husband, Jonni Irwansyah, who was also
Symasuardi's client, was serving a jail sentence.

Syamsuardi denied on Wednesday that Jonni was his client,
saying that he knew Jonni just as a man from his hometown of
Padang, West Sumatra.

"Jonni is 'hoodlum' and served six years in jail for murder,"
he said.

He said that after being released in November last year, Jonni
once visited him, asking to borrow Rp 50 million.

He said he refused to lend Jonni the money and has since been
repeatedly threatened.

"Since I never fulfilled his demand, Jonni then asked his wife
to report to the police," he said. (jun)