Semarang – The appointment of 45 members of the Semarang legislative council was marked on Saturday by a noisy protest at City Hall from dozens of members of the Semarang People's Solidarity movement.

The protester said they were angry with the way councillors had behaved in the past by deceiving the people they represented and stealing public money.

"They have betrayed the people's trust in them. They enjoy frequent overseas trips for 'comparative studies' at a time when most people still live in misery. We don't want this to happen again," a protester said.

The protesters were also angry over the allegation one of the councillors, Sri Martianingsih of the Democratic Party, used a fake school diploma to become a legislative candidate.

Nurul Akhmad, a member of the Semarang General Elections Commission (KPU), said that if the certificate proved to be a fake, her office would replace Sri with another councillor.

Sugiyono of the Semarang General Elections Supervisory Agency said Sri was the subject of an investigation by Semarang police.

The inauguration was also marked by reporters being banned from entering the venue. The press were only allowed to enter after the ceremony was over.

Twelve of the 45 newly inaugurated councillors were from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, seven from the Democratic Party, six from the Golkar Party, six from the National Mandate Party, five from Prosperous Justice Party, four from the National Awakening Party, three from the Prosperous Peace Party and two from the United Development Party.