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Democratic Party Tries to Avoid Fracturing in ‘Beleaguering Case’
Arientha Primanita & Ezra Sihite | January 27, 2012

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The Democratic Party is trying to head off any in-fighting as the bribery scandal involving the construction of an athletes’ village threatens to drag down party chairman Anas Urbaningrum.

The case has already brought down the party’s former treasurer, Muhammad Nazaruddin, who is on trial at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court.

During Nazaruddin’s trial on Wednesday, a witness testified that money connected to the construction project had been funneled to support Anas’s election as chairman of the Democrats during a party congress in 2010.

The witness, Yulianis, the finance director of one of Nazaruddin’s companies, Permai Group, said bribe money had also gone to Democratic Party politicians Angelina Sondakh and Mirwan Amir.

“[Democratic Party] executives must remain solid. We want the party to stop receiving bad press,” Syarief Hasan, a member of the party’s advisory council, said on Thursday.

Democrat Sutan Bhatoegana acknowledged that there had been calls from some party members to clean house and oust Anas as chairman.

“Those are personal opinions, but the decision lies with the advisory council,” he said.

Democratic lawmaker Ruhut Sitompul said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a co-founder of the party, was eager to replace Anas.

“SBY, as advisory council chairman, came up with the names of candidates deemed worthy to replace Anas. We will learn [who will replace Anas] in time,” he said.

Ruhut said Yudhoyono had made the correct decision by inviting top party officials to his home in Cikeas, West Java, on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

“Don’t let this case affect other member,” he said. “This case is now beleaguering the whole party. [Yudhoyono] was right to take immediate action to save the party.”

Advisory council secretary Andi Mallarangeng said there had been no discussion to replace the chairman.

“The advisory council is concerned by the news and how it affects the party internally, along with strategic steps to take as a consequence and how to move forward because other parties are already hitting full throttle,” he said.

Party deputy secretary general Ramadhan Pohan said the party’s leadership board had not discussed Anas’s fate during its regular meeting.

Additional reporting by Banjir Ambarita