Presidential hopeful quizzed as riot suspect

Fri, 01/16/2009 5:36 PM  |  National

Former chief economic minister Rizal Ramli (Ysecond left in photoY) was involved in a verbal dispute with a policeman upon his arrival at the National Police headquarters, South Jakarta, on Thursday.

Rizal, a presidential hopeful, arrived to face questioning after being named a suspect by police for his alleged involvement in a violent protest against fuel price hikes last year.

Speaking following his seven-hour interrogation, Rizal said he was asked 23 questions by investigators, most of which related to a speech he delivered ahead of the riot on June 24, 2008.

The police are scheduled to question Rizal, currently chairing the Indonesia Rise Movement (GBI), for a second time on Tuesday next week. He did not say whether he would attend the summons.

Rizal, who was the coordinating minister for the economy during the Abdurrahman Wahid administration, failed to attend a summons from investigators last week, claiming he was not in the city at the time.

Upon his arrival at the police headquarters Thursday, Rizal released 10 doves in a demonstration of his innocence, one of his supporters Adhie Massardi said.

Rizal, his team of lawyers and dozens of his supporters walked around 500 meters from the Blok M area to the entrance of the police headquarters together in a show of unity.

When asked whether he would be detained following the investigation, Rizal said such an outcome did not worry him.

"The fate of Rizal Ramli is not important. What is important is the struggle for democracy and the fate of those still denied a decent and happy living," he said.

He said 80 percent of the Indonesian people still did not enjoy independence and freedom, claiming his current struggle was testament to this ongoing injustice. - JP

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