'Publicity may hamper' probe into match-fixing

JAKARTA (JP): Police are remaining tight-lipped about their investigation into an alleged soccer match-fixing and bribery scam, since publicity may jeopardize the investigation process.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang, who was bombarded with questions about the latest developments, said yesterday that he had neither a statement nor information on the investigation or the suspects.

"All I can say is that we'll keep moving on with our investigation," he told the dozens of crime and sports reporters who flocked to his office yesterday.

He indicated that further publication would encourage certain people to try to influence the witnesses in the case. He did not elaborate.

Aritonang confirmed that three new witnesses were questioned yesterday although police were scheduled to start interrogating the suspects.

Aritonang said over the weekend that the police had summoned one of the suspects for an interrogation session yesterday.

"He may just be a referee or member of a soccer-related organization ... and he may or may not be one of our witnesses."

The police have thus far questioned at least 21 witnesses in the case, mostly referees.

Executives from the management of at least three local soccer clubs, namely Persikab, Persib and Mataram Indocement, have also been questioned as witnesses.

Police have been investigating the scam for almost two weeks following an All-Indonesian Soccer Federation internal inquiry into alleged match-fixing and bribery during last season's Indonesian League.

The federation concluded that senior referee Djafar Umar was alleged the main perpetrator in the scam, Eddi Elison, secretary of the Referee Dispute Investigation Team, said.

"Djafar is the mastermind behind the scam," Eddi told reporters Tuesday.

"He did not only receive unofficial fees from subordinate referees for every match but also ordered the referees to fix the match, especially for the benefit of the home team."

Eddi said a referee was officially paid Rp 75,000 to umpire a match.

Some referees, who had been questioned by the dispute team, said they shared part of their refereeing wages and incentive money -- which they received mostly from the winning team -- with Djafar.

"They said they were forced to do that to avoid not being appointed by Djafar to supervise another match," Eddi said.

Djafar was responsible for appointing the referee to supervise a match, he said. (cst)