Students protest at Golkar office

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)