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