"The Democrat Party seems to be protecting its cadres who are suspected to be problematic," political observer of the Charta Politika institution, Yunarto Wijaya said here on Saturday.
He was speaking at a discussion on the polemic of the alleged bribery case in the SEA Games Athlete House construction.
Yunarto said that the Democrat Party should provide clear and transparent explanations with regard to the allegation so that the public would not leave questions in their minds.
He said that the attitude of the party which looked like protecting its cadres would reduce the people`s trust in Democrat Party.
The political scientist reminded Democrat Party elite not to discredit the people by their statement that Democrat Party cadres were clean from bribes but a group of people were willing to corner their cadres.
"If the Democrat Party is defensive without giving explanations, it would endanger itself," he said.
Indications of the party`s attitude in protecting its cadres were seen when it formed a verification team. Before the team worked some cadres had made a statement that the party cadres were clean and were not involved in the alleged project bribery case.
"The Democrat Party should accommodate the people`s insistence that it suspend its general treasurer Muhammad Zazaruddin during the investigation process," he said.
The bribery case allegation came to the surface when the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Sports and Youth Affairs Minister`s Secretary Wafid Muharram in his office room on April 21, 2011.
The KPK officials found evidence in the form a check worth Rp3.2 billion when the suspect received Marketing Director of PT Anak Negeri Mindo Rosalina Manulang and Marketing Director of PT Duta Graha Indah Muhammad El Idris.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
