Students urge Akbar verdict

Students urge Akbar verdict

JAKARTA: More than 100 university students rallied outside the
Supreme Court on Thursday, demanding the court to process the
case against Speaker of the House of Representatives Akbar
Tandjung for his corruption conviction which he has appealed to
the Supreme Court.

Rico Marbun, chairman of the University of Indonesia's
Students Executive Body, said the court must not give extra
privileges to Akbar.

"He's been convicted, but he's still allowed to lead the
House, lead his party and nominate himself as a presidential
candidate," he told reporters.

Akbar, who is also the chairman of the Golkar Party, is a
presidential candidate.

Akbar was sentenced last year to three years in jail for
involvement in the Rp 40 billion misuse of the State Logistics
Body (Bulog) fund. The Jakarta High Court upheld the verdict and
added one year to the sentence early this year, but Akbar has
remained free pending his appeal to the Supreme Court, and no
internal House sanctions have been meted out.

Justice Paulus Effendy Lotulung had earlier said that he would
issue Akbar's verdict before the country goes to the polls in
April 2004. -- JP