Riau councillor gets terror scare

Riau councillor gets terror scare

Puji Santoso, Pekanbaru

Two unidentified men on a Yamaha RX-King motorcycle hurled a
Molotov cocktail at the Jl. Sumatera official residence of Riau
Legislative Council deputy speaker Djuharman Arifin at 2:15 a.m.
on Thursday.

A security guard at the official residence of Zamzibar Nong,
another deputy council speaker, which is located across from
Djuharman's house but separated by Jl. Tembelan.

"I saw two men on a motorcycle stop on Jl. Tembelan behind the
guard post of Djuharman's house at around 2 a.m. One of them
appeared to read a text message on his cell phone. I became
suspicious because they were taking so long. I wanted to ask them
what they were doing, but they left before I went out," the
security guard, Dharmansyah, said.

Minutes after, he added, the two men returned, this time
stopping in front of Djuharman's house. "I then heard something
drop and explode, and the motorcycle fled at high speed toward
Jl. Sumatera," Dharmansyah said.

He ran to Djuharman's house to alert those there.

"I immediately ran to wake up the security guard there, but
the gates were locked," said Dharmansyah.

The security guard quickly doused the flames threatening to
engulf the councillor's official Corolla sedan.

The case is being investigated by Pekanbaru Police, said
Djuharman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

"The police came last night, but I will give them information
today," he said.

He said the incident was believed to be linked to his
political activities of the past few days. He declined to
elaborate.

After the incident, the Riau legislative council officially
requested protection for its members from Pekanbaru Police.