SBY's Democratic Party solid, ministers claim

Ministers from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party said that the party was solid, saying there were no internal rifts despite allegations of corruption by its top members.

"We are very, very solid," Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Syariefuddin Hasan said Thursday.

Two lawmakers from the Democratic Party, Muhamad Nazaruddin and Angelina Sondakh, allegedly used their influence to help bribe the Youth and Sports Affairs Minister’s secretary, Wafid Muharram, in order to win a contract to build the athlete's village for the Southeast Asia Games in Palembang, South Sumatra.

Both Angelina and Nazaruddin, who is also the Democratic Party treasurer, have denied the allegations.

Syariefuddin said that an internal party investigation found the two were not involved in the alleged graft.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Andi Malarangeng said there were no feuds in the Democratic Party.

"The main pillar of the Democratic Party is clear, as President Yudhoyono says, that the law must be enforced upon members that violate the law," he said.