Jakarta – Nearly 1,000 protesters yesterday staged a demonstration at the house of Ginandjar Kartasasmita a former minister declared a suspect in a corruption case who was released from the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) after the court ruled that the detention was illegal.

The protesters consisted of several anti-corruption groups who came to Ginandjars house at the state officials compound on Jl. Widya Chandra, South Jakarta, in dozens of buses. The protesters slammed Ginandjar, urging the authorities to arrest him again.

Ginandjar was accused of being involved in corruption in a technical assistance contract between the state-run oil company Pertamina and PT Ustraindo Petro Gas (PT UPG) during his tenure as mining and energy minister in the early 1990s.

Ginandjar held key positions, both during the administration of former President Soeharto and his successor B.J. Habibie. In the Habibie administration, he held the position of chief economics minister.

The protest, which took place was under tight police watch, proceded peacefully. Three trucks full of anti-riot police from the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Headquarters were sent to Ginandjars house. He is now a deputy speaker of the Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR), the couuntrys highest legislative body.

The protesters called themselves as the Anti-Corruption People Movement (GERAK) and consisted of several groups, namely the Islamic Students Family, Action Committee of Students, Youth Alliance from Sukabumi in West Java, Bogor Peoples Alliance, Purwakarta Peoples Forum, and Youth Movement.

It was reported previously that Ginandjar had met secretly with Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri after he was released from the AGO jail. The meeting was confirmed by Ginandjar lawyer Muchyar Yara,who said that the meeting was held last Saturday. Yes, Mr. Ginandjar was received by Mrs. Megawati for quite a long time, he said. He denied that during the meeting Ginandjar sought help from the vice president to resolve his case.