Yorris still the subject of police investigation

JAKARTA (JP): Police still lack the hard evidence or testimonies needed to detain Yorris Raweyai, a Golkar representative in the People's Consultative Assembly who was apprehended last week for alleged gambling, an officer said.

But, police will start collecting more information from witnesses, especially officers taking part in last Thursday's raid, and reviewing available evidence found at the scene, city police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said yesterday.

"We're still trying to find any hard evidence that can be used to support the allegation (against Yorris)," Hamami said Thursday.

Yorris, who is also an executive of the Golkar-affiliated Pemuda Pancasila youth organization, was among almost 100 alleged gamblers apprehended during Jakarta Military Command raids at three entertainment spots in West and North Jakarta on Thursday last week.

A few days later, Yorris denied the allegations after being summoned by Golkar deputy chairman Abdul Gafur, who is also the Assembly Deputy Speaker.

Yorris admitted his presence at the entertainment center but denied he was gambling. He was quoted by Gafur as saying he was there for the Chinese New Year festivities.

In 1994, Yorris was caught during a raid on an illicit gambling den on Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta.

Hamami said without hard evidence and witnesses' accounts about Yorris' alleged role, police would be unable to prosecute the Golkar representative who was allegedly caught red-handed.

He vowed to continue the investigation into the Assembly member's activities without a Presidential permit to do so.

"Such a permit is needed only if the member was not caught red-handed at the crime scene."

Hamami urged Jakarta Military Command, which conducted the raids, to help police question the personnel involved in the raids about Yorris' presence.

"The command could do the questioning and submit the results to us."

Army spokesman Brig. Gen. I Dewa Putu Rai, said the Army headquarters would consider revoking Yorris' membership in the National Disciplinary Movement if the allegations were proven.

"We will revoke his membership as a volunteer in the National Disciplinary Movement if he is later proven guilty of gambling," he said after evaluating the relaunching of the movement.

He said the authority to revoke Yorris' membership rested with the chief of the South Jakarta military district, in which Yorris is registered. (cst/imn)