Yudhoyono denies using state facilities for his campaign

"I did not use the presidential facilities in any of my campaign," Yudhoyono said.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denies the allegation of using the states presidential facilities for the campaign of his Democratic Party (PD).

"I did not use the presidential facilities in any of my campaign," the president clarified in his office, Jakarta, Tuesday.

President Yudhoyono stated that he has been orderly in carrying out the political campaigning regulations related to the use of state presidential facilities.

Therefore, the president will ask an authorized auditing institution to audit the campaign budget in order to fix the allegation that has been circulating among the citizen.

The president also asks all parties to obey the laws in determining the use of state facilities for official and personal use.

Earlier, the Election Supervisory Board planned to call the Democratic Party and Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi related to the campaign of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as chairman of the party, noted Nelson Simanjuntak, member of the election board.

"We plan to summon the Democrats party related to their campaign, then maybe the state secretary, as an institution that arranges of the presidential trip," Nelson asserted when met at his office in Jakarta, Friday, March 23.

Nelson added that the election board had received complaints alleging campaign violations by state officials who use state -owned facilities.

Following the allegations, Minister and the State Secretary Sudi Silalahi made a statement denying the allegations on the Presidents campaign, in Jakarta, Friday, March 28.

Sudi stressed that he had been compelled to issue a clarification in view of a number of news reports alleging that the Presidents campaign breached the election law as he was using the state budget for it.

He claimed the news reports were not true because the President had not used state money for the campaign or for any other unlawful activities.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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