Soccer match-fixing probe to go on

JAKARTA (JP): Police rejected yesterday reports that they would stop investigating an alleged soccer match-fixing and bribery scam because it involved too many parties.

"That (allegation) is untrue. We are collecting more evidence and are determined to proceed with the investigation," city police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said.

Police will find out the identities of all the parties involved in the racket, he said. "We'll take all the suspects to court."

The authorities will summon as many witnesses as possible to get the evidence they need, he said.

Police questioned two more referees yesterday, bringing the total number of witnesses to 12.

Aritonang identified the two referees as Dadang S, a referee from Bandung, West Java, and Mulyana Soebari, a member of the Commission of Regional Referees.

He refused to disclose the results of the preliminary police investigation but said that bribery was involved.

"We found during our investigation that some of the witnesses might have been involved in the bribery and match-fixing schemes."

Police have questioned the referees and managers of some soccer clubs since Friday last week following the All-Indonesian Soccer Federation's finding of alleged match-fixing and bribery rackets believed to be arranged by a senior referee, Djafar Umar.

Djafar allegedly fixed soccer matches, especially during last season's Indonesian League, which began late last year.

He is believed to have either offered or been asked by certain clubs to fix the matches to the clubs' advantage in exchange for money. Some other referees were believed to have been involved in the scam.

The federation has banned Djafar from refereeing for 20 years and asked the police to investigate the case.

Aritonang said the police would not charged Djafar with match- fixing and bribery until they had collected enough hard evidence.

Djafar will be summoned for questioning as a witness next week, he said. (cst)