Yogie defensive over Ritonga case

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M., who is facing a lawsuit in Jakarta Administrative Court from a councilor in South Sumatra, has denied charges that he acted arbitrarily when he sacked the plaintiff.

Yogie's office, which on Friday decided to respond to the charges through the media rather than the court, said that the decision to remove M.H. Ritonga from the South Sumatra Legislative Council was based on the recommendation of the local chapter of Golkar, the ruling faction.

Ritonga, a vocal councilor representing Golkar, had often dissented from the party line, most notably last year when he led a mutiny within Golkar during the gubernatorial election in South Sumatra.

Ritonga was removed from the council after his abortive attempt to foil the reelection of incumbent governor Ramli Hasan. The local Golkar chapter said he was "needed in other positions in Golkar."

Ritonga has since filed lawsuits against Yogie, who authorized his removal, governor Ramli, Golkar's South Sumatra board, and the party's central executive board.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said on Friday that the decision to remove Ritonga complied with existing procedures because it came at the request of the provincial board through the central board. (par)