"I am not a defendant, nor a suspect not even a witness but public opinion is already portraying me as a defendant," he told newsmen after conducting shrimp harvest during a working visit here on Thursday evening.
Anas said politics was sometimes harsh and therefore a certain level of physical and mental readiness was needed to survive in politics.
Regarding Nazaruddin`s judicial process Anas said it had better be referred to the legal and not to the political process.
"We must be consistent that a legal case must be settled through legal process and a political case through a political process," he said.
He said politicizing a legal case would only create confusion and therefore it would be better to refer Nazaruddin`s case to the KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission).
The principle also should apply to the testimony of Yulianis in the Jakarta Corruption Court recently. Anas said "we must not speak of opinions about an issue that has become a legal matter. Refer it to the judicial principles," he said.
He said if a legal case is transferred to opinions what would happen would be an opinion justice.
"A legal case must be referred to a judicial process. A political case meanwhile must be settled politically," he said.
When asked about the future of his party, Anas said that the party`s future would depend upon the success of the present government whose programs the party has so far supported. The party`s future would also be determined by its institutionalization of cadres and people, he added.
Anas believed all Democrat Party cadres and figures remained solid, united and mature in facing developments linked to latest issues.
About factions in the party Anas said that they exist in all political parties. Big parties also face big factions. What is important is how to manage them, he said.
"If the factions are managed well they could become a positive energy," he said.
He said although the Democrat Party is still young its figures and cadres could settle its internal problems maturely. "I am convinced Democrat Party cadres and figures think maturely and positively," he said.
Some witnesses in the recent sessions of Nazaruddin`s trial have named Anas several times. Nazaruddin has been tried in a corruption case. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
