Students protest at Golkar office

JAKARTA (JP): About 500 students staged a protest at the headquarters of Golkar yesterday, calling for the expulsion of two children of former president Soeharto from the dominant political organization.

The students had earlier gathered at the House of Representatives (DPR) building where they tried, unsuccessfully, to present their demands: an early meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and for the cabinet of President B.J. Habibie to cleanse itself of corruption, collusion and nepotism.

A heavy security presence denied them entry to the DPR compound. After a brief speech outside the gate, they moved on to Golkar's headquarters a few kilometers down the road.

There they demanded that Bambang Trihatmodjo and Siti Hardijanti Rukmana resign from Golkar's central executive board.

The protesters, calling themselves the Jakarta Student Senate Communication Forum, consisted of students from 25 local colleges.

Separately, Abdul Gafur, the MPR deputy chairman from Golkar, said that 20 MPR members from the group, including his wife, had resigned to help Golkar cleanse itself of nepotism charges.

Gafur said that 10 other MPR members from Golkar, including the children of Soeharto, should follow suit.

He said his wife, businesswoman Kemala Motik, was one of the first to resign from the MPR, without much publicity. "That's probably why some people who don't know the truth keep demanding her resignation," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

He said Kemala stepped down not long after wives of other top Golkar leaders, including chairman Harmoko and secretary-general Ary Mardjono, tendered their resignations. (aan)