Students cancel antigraft rally

Students cancel antigraft rally

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Students canceled on Wednesday a
rally at the South Sulawesi legislative building in Makassar in
support of the government's antigraft drive for fear of possible
clashes.

The rally, to be staged by members of the Polmas Youth and
Student Association (Polmas), was to voice support for Attorney
General Baharuddin Lopa's move to rid the country of corruptors,
including provincial Golkar Party figure Nurdin Halid.

Supporters of Nurdin, a suspect in a scam involving the
Indonesian Distribution Cooperative, had gathered at the
legislative building before the Polmas members arrived, prompting
the group to call off their rally.

The Polmas members were also going to demand a review of
Nurdin's position as a legislator representing Polmas because of
his alleged role in a 1998 corruption case involving clove
farmers' funds. (27)