BeritaSatu, Jakarta – Former Democratic Party Chairman Anas Urbaningrum is set to get out of prison on Tuesday after serving his time for graft conviction and a colleague said he will deliver a speech directed to former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, better known as SBY.

A warden of Sukamiskin Penitentiary in Bandung confirmed that Anas will be released on Tuesday afternoon, more than eight years since he was named a corruption suspect in February 2014.

Muhammad Rahmad, who coordinated a group of supporters for Anas, said SBY will get a special place in Anas' speech. But Anas will make no mention of current Democratic Party Chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), the oldest son of the former president.

"With regard to many questions about the speech by Brother Anas, I can say that he will deliver a surprise tomorrow. Brother Anas has no business with AHY, but he has a special message for SBY," Rahmad said in a statement on Monday.

"He will be released at 2:00 p.m. after a procedure led by the warden. Afterward, Brother Anas will deliver a speech exclusively to his friends," he added.

Prison warden Kunrat Kasmiri said in Bandung there will be no special treatment for Anas during his release. "Like other inmates who have served their sentence, Anas Urbaningrum will be released without any special treatment," Kunrat said.

He said prison officials are anticipating up to 2,000 Anas supporters at the facility during the release and coordinating with the police to beef up security measures.

Anas was convicted of corruption and sentenced to eight years in prison in September 2014, just a month before SBY completed his second presidential term.

The major corruption scandal related to sports training and education projects in Hambalang, West Java, and other infrastructure projects also got several other Democratic Party executives such as party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin and former sports minister Andi Mallarangeng implicated.

Anas was also ordered to return Rp 57.8 billion of stolen money to the state and fined Rp 300 million.

The legal trouble effectively ended his bright political career after he became one of the youngest party leaders and was in charge of the ruling party at that time.

It also drastically overturned his relationship with SBY, from previously one of the president's most trusted aides to a political opponent.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/anas-urbaningrum-has-special-message-for-sby-upon-release-from-priso