Team to probe Kupang election

Team to probe Kupang election

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: A team set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs will investigate allegations of money politics in the mayoral election in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, a local official said on Monday.

"The team will arrive in Kupang this week. The probe is being initiated at the request of locals, and will prove whether the mayoral election was flawed or not," said J.B. Kosapilawan, the spokesman for the provincial administration.

The Kupang district legislative council elected on March 23 Col. Samuel Kristian as the city's new mayor, and Daniel Adoe as his deputy.

The two, nominated by the Golkar and military/police factions in the council, defeated Albert Foenay and Nicolaus Fransiskus, the candidates of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

The election of Kristian and Adoe sparked a protest by PDI Perjuangan, which said that the election was tainted. They alleged that one of its legislators, Harry Teofilus, received a Rp 10 million bribe to vote for Golkar's candidates. --Antara