Police probing Megawati’s role in poll violence

JAKARTA – Indonesian police are investigating the possible involvement of ousted Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) leader Megawati Soekarnopurti in election-campaign disturbances.

Antara news agency yesterday quoted Jakarta police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Aritonang, as saying that police were investigating links between campaign disturbances by Megawati loyalists.

“Megawati has said that she and her supporters would not participate in the campaign. So she cannot be directly implicated,” he said, adding: “But nonetheless we are investigating this case.”

Lt-Col Aritonang said that four of Ms Megawati’s supporters had been arrested in Jakarta on charges of trying to disrupt PDI campaign activities recently.

“For no clear reason, they pelted cars taking part in PDI rallies,” he said.

Scores of Megawati supporters have disrupted PDI rallies in Java since the start of the election campaign.

A brawl between supporters during a campaign rally last week by PDI chief Soerjadi in Surabaya, East Java, prompted the party to freeze its campaign there until the authorities could guarantee security at its rallies.