PDI Perjuangan slams student protests

JAKARTA: In an ironic twist, the secretary of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction Tjahyo Kumolo claimed on Friday that the ongoing student protests in the country were excessive, and thus they must espouse the ideology of fascism.

He regretted the fact that during the rally, the students even had to take a policeman hostage, which he said was very clearly an act of a fascist.

Denying allegations that his party would crackdown hard on anyone expressing themselves freely, he said: "As long as the rally is just meant to voice people's aspirations, it is a legal."

He said that it was the police who had the authority to judge whether the protests were violating the law or not.

"If the police perceive that the rally has broken the existing law, they have the right to take legal action," he remarked.

Kumolo downplayed the impact of the fascist students on the administration of President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"The value of the rupiah is growing stronger, despite the growing fascism in student rallies," he said. --Antara