Students protest Padang mayor

PADANG, West Sumatra: Dozens of students held a noisy demonstration in front of the Padang State Court building here on Tuesday afternoon as the trial against the alleged corruption of Padang mayor Zuiyen Rais began.

The students, calling themselves the Alliance of Reformists Students, asserted their rejection of Zuiyen, who was still an active mayor despite being tried for corruption.

The protest ended peacefully about an hour later.

Zuiyen is under suspicion of bribing local councillors some Rp 1.2 billion in order to be reelected as mayor.

Zuiyen's lawyer said the mayor was merely distributing funds as requested by the councillors and with the knowledge of other city officials.

"It was not his personal decision," Burma Burhan said.

The trial against the mayor continues later this week. (28)