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Jailed politicians remain loyal to their parties
Top politicians detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) went to the polls Wednesday, with many alluding they had supported their own parties
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op politicians detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) went to the polls Wednesday, with many alluding they had supported their own parties.
Among the detainees are two former party leaders: Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Anas Urbaningrum of the Democratic Party (PD).
Other high-profile detainees include former youth and sports minister Andi Mallarangeng, who was a Dems' member; former Constitutional Court (MK) chief justice Akil Mochtar, who is a former Golkar Party patron; and Ahmad Fathanah, who is affiliated with the PKS given that he was Luthfi's aide.
The 'exclusive' polling station did not release its results afterward like regular polling stations, but some of the detainees seemed more than happy to tell reporters they were proud of their former parties, expressing themselves through verbal signals or even direct implication.
'What are you doing here? Go home and vote for number five,' Akil said to reporters, referring to Golkar's number.
After Akil came Andi, who openly stated that he was still loyal to the Dems, which has been badly tainted by graft scandals. Andi was one of the party's anticorruption icons in its 2009 media campaign for the legislative election, during which it won by a landslide.
'Of course, Democrats,' Andi wove his hands showing the number seven, the party's number.
The homegrown party member acknowledged Monday that his recent attacks against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono were part of a personal vendetta to avenge the ill-treatment he had apparently received from Yudhoyono.
He said that he would file a report with the KPK accusing his former boss of amassing money from the bailout of Bank Century to fund his' reelection campaign in 2009. He said that he had an audit report for Yudhoyono's campaign, which contained bogus donors ' an allegation that would have severe implications should the information be proven correct by KPK investigators.
Meanwhile, Fathanah broke his silence at the poll by shouting to reporters: 'I will only coblos [perforate] my wife.'
After voting, Fathanah asked reporters: 'How many ballot boxes are here [pointing at the ballot boxes]? It's three right? That's what I've voted for,' referring to the PKS' number.
Luthfi also did not want to miss the chance to express pride in his former party by boasting that he was a hard-line loyalist: 'I am sure that the PKS can win the big three in this 2014 legislative election.'
The PKS came fourth with 7 percent in the previous election after a huge campaign focusing on it being a 'clean' party. However, after Luthfi's graft case, surrounding beef procurement at the Agriculture Ministry, the party's electability plunged with recent surveys predicting it would only grab around 2 percent in the 2014 election. 'My life and death are for the PKS only,' Luthfi said when leaving the poll.
Meanwhile, Anas, who claims to have been framed by Yudhoyono, launched another attack.
'If SBY's picture is on the ballot, I will vote for him. Unfortunately, his is not, so I won't,' Anas said, referring to the outgoing President.
