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New Round of Funding Accusations Against Anas Campaign Emerge
February 19, 2012

Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, center. (Antara Photo/File) Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, center. (Antara Photo/File)
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A senior Democratic Party official renewed his claims on Saturday that executives from other political parties donated money to help Anas Urbaningrum win the election for party chairman at a congress in Bandung in 2010.

Umar Arsal, a former member of Anas’s campaign team, said the political cadres did not give the money on behalf of their parties, but as individuals. “Anas is considered an aspiring leader, and that is why many politicians, not only from inside the Democratic Party, but also from other parties were willing to donate,” Umar said, as quoted by Detik.com. 

“Most of the donors have high hopes that Anas could lead this nation in the future,” he added.

On Friday, Umar claimed that the Golkar Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) donated funds to Anas’s campaign, which saw him win the party’s top post against Marzuki Alie, the current House of Representative’s Speaker, and Andi Mallarangeng, the current Sport and Youth Affairs Minister. Both parties flatly deny the accusations.

On Saturday, Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie said there were no reasons for his party cadres to donate to Anas. “Golkar still needs funds, why would [the cadres] donate to other parties,” he said.

Similarly, PKS President Lutfi Hasan told reporters in Makassar, South Sulawesi that his party was not a wealthy one so there was little opportunity for its cadres to donate to other political parties.

Besides, Lutfi said, what happened in Bandung in 2010 was a Democratic Party internal event and his party would not have meddled. Lutfi added that he did not know why his party was being dragged into the internal politics of the Democrats. 

The Democratic Party’s former treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, currently on trial for graft related to the construction of the athletes’ village for last year’s Southeast Asian Games, said in court that he donated Rp 30 billion ($3.3 million) and $5 million to help Anas win.

Jakarta Globe