Nani Farida, Jakarta – Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum became the target of protesters as demonstrators rallied for World Anticorruption Day in several cities across Indonesia on Friday.
Around 30 protesters attempting to approach Anas' house in East Jakarta were turned back by a similar number of police officers bearing shields and helmets who established a cordon around the home.
Several protesters wore vests identifying them as members of the Islam Defenders' Front (FPI). A banner reading "Catch Corrupters! Catch the Thiefs for the People" was also seen. "Today, Anas is a national icon of corruption for the biggest graft case," a protester said.
Anas has been embroiled in graft allegations following the detention of Nazaruddin, the party's former treasurer and current graft defendant.
Nazaruddin testified in court that Anas accepted bribes connected to the contract to build the athletes' village for the recently-concluded Southeast Asian Games. Anas was also alleged to have bought votes when he was running for party chairman last year. Anas has denied the accusations.
In Semarang, Central Java, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also the party's patron, asked other countries, particularly Indonesia's neighbors, for cooperation in eradicating corruption. Yudhoyono asked them not to harbor corruptors who fled prosecution or questioning in Indonesia.
"Indonesia doesn't want other countries to be havens for corruptors who have stolen our state assets," the President said during an event marking World Anticorruption Day on Friday. Yudhoyono added that Indonesia would listen to the warnings it had received on several cases involving illegal logging, illegal mining and smuggling.
"However, other countries should not just warn us by benefiting from what was stolen from Indonesia," the President said, adding that he had asked leaders at the G-20, APEC and ASEAN summits to work hand-in-hand with Indonesia to fight corruption.
Yudhoyono also instructed ministers, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) to focus on corruption affecting state and regional budgets.
Across Indonesia on Friday, demonstrators, mostly comprising students, marked the day with sniping criticism of the government. Some said the government was not seriously fighting corruption, with several big graft cases remaining in limbo.
The police fired tear gas into a crowd of hundreds of students in Makassar, South Sulawesi, who started to throw rocks after Governor Yasin Limpo declined to meet with them outside his office.
Makassar City Police chief Erwin Triwanto, who arrived on scene later, ordered his officers to retreat. The incident was diffused after the protesters were received by provincial secretary Andi Mualim.
The protesters had Andi sign an ersatz 'memorandum of understanding' listing graft cases for the government to investigate, including allegations of corruption surrounding Rp 8.8 billion of social aid funds.
The students also urged that Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman-designate Abraham Samad fulfill his promise to investigate big graft allegations, including the Bank Century bailout and the SEA Games scandal.
In Yogyakarta, protesters reminded local authorities about a case implicating former Bantul regent Idham Samawi. "Fight corruption. If not you, who else," read one poster.
In Bandung, West Java, farmers joined students in a march to Gedung Sate, the seat of the West Java administration. They lambasted the government for "its failure to fight against corruption."
Indonesia's ranking on Transparency International's corruption index stands at 3.0.
[Andi Hajramurni, Slamen Susanto and Arya Dipa contributed to the story from Makassar, Yogyakarta and Bandung.]