PDI Perjuangan slams student protests

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