Youth organization chairman arrested in gambling den sting
Youth organization chairman arrested in gambling den sting
JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the Golkar-affiliated Pemuda
Pancasila youth organization, Yorris Raweyai, 47, was apprehended
Thursday for alleged gambling.
But he was released the following day.
Jakarta Military Command spokesman Lt. Col. D.J. Nachrowi said
yesterday that Yorris, who is also a member of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR), was caught along with 12 other
alleged gamblers during a routine operation at the Kiss Me
amusement center on Jl. Gadjah Mada in West Jakarta.
"He did not resist arrest."
Nachrowi said that Yorris was later handed over to Jakarta
Police, after being questioned at Jakarta Military Command's
headquarters.
"The reason for his release was that he is an MPR member, who
can be caught or summoned only with the President's knowledge and
approval."
But Nachrowi maintains that if someone was caught red-handed
violating existing rules, investigators could uphold their duties
to arrest and question them at police headquarters.
He cited 1970 Law No. 13 Article 4 on the investigators'
treatment of MPR/House of Representatives (DPR) members, which
states that investigators could arrest or apprehend the members
and only need to notify the Attorney General's Office which would
later pass on the notification letter to the President or the
House speaker.
City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday
that police had not received any of the arrested gamblers,
including Yorris.
"Up to this moment, they haven't arrived," he said.
Aritonang also said that even if an MPR member was caught red-
handed, investigators would keep investigating them without
necessarily seeking approval from the President or House speaker.
"But the investigators have to report it to the Attorney
General, who will later pass on the report to the President or
the House speaker," he said.
The military night raid was a routine integrated operation,
involving both the military and police officers. The operation
was conducted in three amusement centers on the night Yorris was
apprehended.
The operation rounded up at least 100 alleged gamblers.
Nachrowi said the operation was routine and was not aimed at
catching anyone in particular.
It was not a reaction to the Indonesian Ulemas Council's (MUI)
complaint about some entertainment centers, which broke the law
by operating during the Ramadhan fasting month.
A high-ranking officer of Jakarta Military Command, who asked
not to be identified, said a similar operation was conducted in
10 amusement centers in West and Central Jakarta in December.
The centers' owners were apprehended along with some visitors
for gambling. They were sent to city police headquarters for
questioning. (cst/emf)