Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A ruling Democrat Party functionary, Ulil Abshar Abdalla, said the Democrat Party`s "political rivals" were exploiting the current problem in the party to undermine President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and de-legitimate his government.

"Our party political situation has developed very fast in the past few days. Some of the developments are obviously not healthy due to the practice of dirty politics which are not at all ethical," the head of the party`s Center of Policy and Strategy Development told newsmen here on Monday.

Ulil`s statement came following the circulation of text messages that had been considered slandering the party`s chief patron, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Ulil said the text messages were a mere small part of efforts launched by "political rivals" recently aimed at undermining the President. Their ultimate goal is to de-legitimize the government, he said.

"Their other goal to be achieved through the dirty politics are damaging he reputation of the Democrat Party led by Anas Urbaningrum under the auspice of SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) as chief patron," he said.

By damaging the reputation of the Democrat Party through dirty campaigning like that he said the political rivals hoped the votes for the Democrat Party that won the 2009 general elections would drop in the next general elections.

These dirty campaign methods could cause cynicism and skepticism from the public towards political parties and politics, he said.

Regarding the case of Nazaruddin, Ulil said that the party had taken a correct action by firing him from the post of the party`s general treasurer.

He said the decision was made so that Nazaruddin could fully concentrate on his legal battle.

He said the Democrat Party had had no intention to hinder any legal process involving its cadres.

"The Democrat Party`s commitment to corruption eradication in the country has been very clear," he said.

The secretary of the party`s human rights department, Rachland Nashidik, meanwhile said Nazaruddin`s case was a trial for the party in not tolerating unethical acts of its cadres in politics.

He said regarding ethics the measure is not fastness or slowness but whether the step taken is right or wrong.(*)

D011/HAJM/H-YH

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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