Two councillors admit bribery in election

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ten days after councillors of the Democratic Party faction strongly denied allegations of money politics in the election for council speaker, two of them reportedly handed over the money they had received to vote for Golkar Party's Ade Surapriatna.

"They gave the money to the party ... But, of course, that should not mean they can elude sanctions, including the legal consequences it may entail," the party's Jakarta branch head Husein Abdul Azis told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Husein reiterated that his party would stick to recommending dissident members be recalled. "We will also follow it up with dismissing them from the party."

Husein was one among a seven-member team tasked with investigating the case involving 16 of their council members. The team is still investigating the possible involvement of other party members in the case.

Another source with the team, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that the two members, identified as ES and RT, had received more than Rp 100 million (US$10,869) each in the election.

Previously, the party revealed that eight councillors might have been involved in the incident, which led to the defeat of Ahmad Heryawan, the candidate of the largest faction, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

All Democratic Party faction members had signed an agreement to vote for Heryawan in exchange for PKS' support for the party's leader Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in the presidential runoff.

Ade Surapriatna denied involvement in money politics. "I did not give any money (to the councillors). I did not even try to lobby councillors of PKS and Democratic Party factions."

Ade also insisted that any allegations of money politics in the election had to be proven by the legal authorities.

In protest over the result of the election, Dani Anwar of PKS, who is the council's acting speaker, had yet to sign the declaration of the election result. Acting deputy speaker Johny Wenas Polii of the Democratic Party signed it.

"The declaration should be signed by both the acting speaker and the deputy speaker on the day the result of the election comes out. But, since Pak Dani has not signed it, we could not send it to the Ministry for Home Affairs," said council secretary Salehuddin Effendi.

The secretary has received a circular from the ministry to immediately send the declaration to legalize the installment of the new speaker and deputies.

The new speaker and deputies will be installed in the first week of October.