Police on the case of malicious text messages
Mariel Grazella, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 05/30/2011 6:51 PM
The National Police are tracing the Singaporean phone number that sent a series of text messages (SMS) containing rumors about President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The messages, which claimed they were from former Democratic Party treasurer M. Nazaruddin, threatened to reveal a "sex scandal" involving the President and his presidential staff member.
"The SMS we want is from the original number with the +65 country code [of Singapore]," National Police deputy chief detective Insp. Gen. Matius Salempang said.
Nazaruddin, who is currently involved in a corruption scandal, left the country a day before a travel ban was issued against him.
Matius added that the police were searching for the person who had received the initial text message.
He said that the police must cooperate with the Singaporean government to track down the number.
"We have to cooperate [with the Singaporean government]. We can't carry out investigations in other people's countries," he added.
He said the police were investigating the case, but added that neither the President nor his party had filed a report.
"We have a team already. We don't have to work with much fanfare," he added.
