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)