Yorris denies ivolvement in gambling

Yorris denies ivolvement in gambling

JAKARTA (JP): Yorris Raweyai, a member of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) who was apprehended last week for his
alleged involvement in gambling, has admitted that he was present
but only to attend a Chinese New Year celebration.

Yorris was quoted yesterday by Assembly Deputy Speaker Abdul
Gafur as saying that he was not involved in gambling activities
when a group of military personnel raided a venue in West Jakarta
last Thursday.

"He (Yorris) told me he was at the entertainment center not
for gambling but for the Chinese New Year festivities," Gafur
said after a regular meeting of the Assembly's leaders yesterday.

Gafur, in his capacity as deputy chairman of the ruling Golkar
party, summoned Yorris -- a Golkar member and an executive of the
Golkar-affiliated Pemuda Pancasila youth organization -- for
questioning Tuesday.

He said that after hearing Yorris' explanation, Golkar's board
of executives suggested that Yorris exercise his right to make a
public statement and defend press reports saying that he was
apprehended for alleged gambling.

Yesterday's meeting of MPR leaders, presided over by Assembly
Speaker Harmoko, also focused on the arrest of Yorris by
personnel from Jakarta Military Command, Gafur said.

"We'll let the police investigate the case thoroughly. If he
(Yorris) is proven guilty later he must be punished, but if he's
innocent his reputation must be mended.

"We intend to maintain the presumption of innocence until the
police complete their investigation."

Yorris' explanation for his presence at the Kiss Me
entertainment center, however, did not satisfy the military
command's spokesman, Lt. Col. DJ. Nachrowi.

Nachrowi said that Yorris was found gambling in an area called
the Italian Room during the raid.

"We nabbed him and other alleged gamblers at the venue,
brought them to our office to be registered and handed them over
to the police," Nachrowi told The Jakarta Post by phone yesterday
evening.

Yorris was among almost 100 alleged gamblers detained during
Jakarta Military Command raids on three entertainment venues in
West and North Jakarta late Thursday night, Nachrowi said.

"We caught 12 gamblers red-handed at Kiss Me entertainment
center (one of the three venues), including the well-known leader
of a youth organization," he said, referring to Yorris.

He said some coins and gambling paraphernalia were seized as
evidence.

Those arrested during the raid were dropped off at Jakarta
Police Headquarters early Friday for further investigation, he
said.

But city police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang later said
that Yorris, and eight other people caught at Kiss Me, had been
released due to a lack of hard evidence.

However, a reliable police source told the Post yesterday that
his office only received four alleged gamblers, excluded Yorris,
from the military command.

The source, who did not want to be identified, said he only
knew about Yorris' alleged role from media reports.

"We've even questioned the police officers who were involved
in the raids. They said Yorris was around when the raid took
place at the venue, but he was not in the Italian Room with the
arrested suspects."

The source also said police never summoned Yorris for
questioning in regard to the case.

Nachrowi said the recent raids -- jointly conducted with
police officers -- were intended to catch out disobedient members
of the Armed Forces who hang around entertainment centers without
an official assignment.

During the raids, no soldiers were arrested but almost 100
people were allegedly caught gambling. (amd/cst)