SBY Still Keeps Anas Urbaningrum's Words

CIKEAS, KOMPAS.com - Democrat Party chief patron Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Sunday described as "unfounded" a rumor that the party would suspend its chief Anas Urbaningrum over alleged involvement in a graft case.

"I should like to affirm that there is no plan whatsoever to suspend Anas Urbaningrum as the Democrat Party’s general chairman," he said at his Puri Cikeas Indah private residence in Bogor, West Java.

Yudhoyono made the remarks after holding an audience with the party’s founders and declarators in connection with an allegation that a number of the party’s cadres have been involved in a graft case. The legal process of the alleged graft case was still going on at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and therefore, the Democrat Party would always stick to the presumption of innocence principle, he said.

"We cannot precede what the KPK may do." For the umpteenth time, the Democrat Party chief had stated that he had not been involved in the alleged graft case and money politics, he said.

"I keep his words, except if the KPK states otherwise," the president said. ow was the time for the party chief to hold political communication to protect the party and its cadres, he added.

Yudhoyono further called on all party cadres to refrain from any temptation to commit a corrupt act or other similar criminal offenses. "If our cadres at the DPR (the House of Representatives) could do it in the past, then why they cannot do it now. Why are a number of cadres tempted to do the irregularities?"

He said the party would impose either moral or disciplinary sanctions on any of its cadres found violating the law. "I still hear one or two cadres committing disgraceful acts in the regions."