Rizky Amelia – Notorious Indonesian corruption suspect Muhammad Nazaruddin has demanded Anas Urbaningrum admit to his alleged involvement in a high-level graft scandal – or else.
Nazaruddin, speaking before his trial resumes in the Anti-Corruption Court in Jakarta on Friday, said he wanted the embattled Democratic Party chairman to surrender to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and admit that he was involved in graft surrounding the construction of the athletes' village for the 2011 Southeast Asian Games.
Nazaruddin, the disgraced former chairman of the party headed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, told reporters that a leader of a powerful and respected party should set a good example by admitting to what he has done.
He said if Anas kept on denying his role in the scandal, he would make further allegations. "If he is still unwilling to admit [to his crimes], unfortunately I will have to reveal other [information]," he claimed.
Nazaruddin reiterated that he had known Anas extremely well since 2006. "I was in frequent contact with Anas – I spent almost every day and night with him for three years in a row," he said.
The scandal threatens to topple the Democrat's position as the largest party in Indonesia in the 2014 elections.
As the scandal continues to tarnish the image of the Democratic Party, which has campaigned on an Anti-Corruption theme, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Marzuki Alie, a Democrat, called on fellow party members to hold their tongues.
"I want to remind all the cadres in the Democratic Party that it would be best for all of us to not speak too much in the media, Marzuki was quoted by Detik.com as saying at the House on Friday.
Marzuki, who has faced repeated ridicule for his past comments, said the image of the party had declined due to comments made by party members in the media.
He said he would not comment on the Anas scandal. "Internal problems should not be raised in public. I don't want to discuss the central leadership board," the news portal quoted him as saying. The leadership board has warned of a possible coup against Anas.