Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Former Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum is set to release his new book, "Janji Kebangsaan Kita" ("The Promise of Our Nationalism"), on Friday, the same day President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is due to release his autobiography.
Anas, who is currently being detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over his involvement in the Hambalang sports center graft case, wrote the book last year after being discharged from his post as the ruling party's chairman.
Gede Pasek Suardika, a member of Anas's Indonesia Movement Association (PPI), said on Wednesday that the launch would be held at the organization's headquarters in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta.
Pasek denied that the book's release date was chosen to go head-to-head with Yudhoyono's "Selalu Ada Pilihan" ("There Will Always Be Choices").
"We set the date way before, but Anas was summoned by the KPK [last week]," Pasek said. "So the launching will go on without him being present."
"Janji Kebangsaan Kita" is a compilation of essays Anas wrote during his tenure as Democratic Party chairman.
"The pieces in this book were written when I was the chairman of the Democratic Party," Anas said last November as quoted by the state-run Antara news agency, when he first announced that he would be publishing a new book.
He said that the contents of the book would not discuss the Hambalang corruption case. Pasek also dismissed rumors that Anas's supporters scheduled the book's release date to irritate Yudhoyhono, whom Anas name dropped after his arrest.
"Most of all, I would like to thank SBY. Hopefully this incident will be meaningful and will be a 2014 New Year's gift," he said as he emerged from the KPK building after his arrest last week.
Anas published a more SBY-friendly tome in 2009 entitled "Bukan Sekedar Presiden: Daya Gugah SBY Sebagai Seorang Pemimpin" ("Not Just a President: SBY's Compelling Power as a Leader"), where he praised the president's leadership – and the KPK's bold stance against corruption.
The KPK in recent years has arrested high-profile members of Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, including former party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, legislator Angelina Sondakh and former sports minister Andi Mallarangeng.