Farouk Arnaz, Jakarta – The National Police have charged two Golkar Party politicians for document forgery in relation to an ongoing rift tearing apart the country's oldest political party.
Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto identified the pair on Friday as Hasbi Sani and Dayat Hidayat – both supporters of Agung Laksono, who was elected chairman at a congress in Ancol, North Jakarta, last December of a faction of Golkar hostile to the leadership of Aburizal Bakrie.
Aburizal's supporters claim that the Jakarta congress used a forged Golkar stamp and included members of other parties, as well as a Golkar politician who has been dead for several years.
Rikwanto said Hasbi and Dayat were questioned for four hours on Thursday evening but were not detained.
"Investigators are seeking confirmation from the pair about the evidence collected. Investigators are also seeking to question other witnesses who can also be named suspects.
"We are screening all of the Ancol congress participants, about which of them know about the forged letters," the police spokesman added.
Agung's camp blamed Aburizal for the party's loss of power over the past five years. They say Golkar's weaker-than-expected legislative election result last April as well as its failure, for the first time in its 50 year history, to nominate a presidential or vice presidential candidate in the July presidential election should have compelled Aburizal to resign instead of seeking another term.
Aburizal instead went on to win re-election in a party congress in Bali in December, which critics say was rigged from the outset. Days later, a rival congress was held in Ancol, at which Agung was elected chairman.