The South Jakarta district court has not yet fixed a date for the subversion trial of Sri-Bintang Pamungkas, the former MP who is currently serving a one-year sentence for insulting the head of state. But the chairman of the court confirmed that the trial will commence before the end of December.

Sri-Bintang will be charged under article 1 of Law No 11/PNPS/1963, for which the maximum penalty is death. The court chairman denied suggestions that the delay in commencing the trial had been caused by the difficulties in studying the trial documents. 'It's just a matter of fixing the appropriate date, taking into consideration the commitments of the judges.'

Sri-Bintang has appointed a team of lawyers which includes Bambang Widjoyanto, Apong Herlina, Daniel Panjaitan, Paulus Mahulete, Moh. Assegaf, Adnan Buyung Nasution and R.O. Tambunan.

[It is understood that two others who, together with Sri-Bintang, founded the political party, PUDI, Saleh Abdullah and Julius Usman, will also go on trial soon on similar charges. TAPOL]