Analyst reported for slandering Bakrie

JAKARTA: A politician from the Golkar Party has reported political analyst Yudi Latief to the police for allegedly slandering party chairman Aburizal Bakrie.

Erwin Ricardo Silalahi reported Yudi for linking Aburizal with the bribery case of graft suspect Gayus H. Tambunan.

“As an intellectual, Yudi Latief should not link the Bakrie business group with Aburizal Bakrie or the Golkar Party in the alleged bribery case of Gayus because they are not related at all,” read a statement signed by Erwin, Golkar Party’s Yogyakarta head Gandung Pardiman and head of the party’s Lampung chapter M. Alzier Dianis Thabranie.

According to the statement, dated Dec. 13, Yudi offended the party in a talk show aired Dec. 10 by local TV station Metro TV.

Gayus is suspected of amassing wealth from several companies by helping them evade taxes.

In a recent court hearing, he said he had received money from a few companies in the Bakrie group.

“Anything related to the company’s management is the company’s business, not that of Bang Ical [Aburizal] or the Golkar Party. Moreover, the business group is publicly owned ...” the statement read. — JP