Anas said he could not attend the signing on February 10 because he was ill at the time. He denied that he had deliberately been absent to avoid signing the pact.
Jakarta (Antara News) - The general chairman of the ruling Democrat Party, Anas Urbaningrum, signed the integrity pact issued by the party`s supreme council recently to save the party whose electability has dropped here on Thursday.

"Today several central executive board members and I sign the integrity pact, which is the continuation of the pact`s signing on February 10," he said at the office of the party`s executive board.

Anas said he could not attend the signing on February 10 because he was ill at the time. He denied that he had deliberately been absent to avoid signing the pact.

He said party officials at branch offices across the country also conducted the signing simultaneously at the same time he signed the pact.

Anas signed the pact along with several other central board members including deputy secretary general Saan Mustofa and chairman of the party`s faction in the House of Representatives, Gede Pasek Suardika.

He said the signing was confirmation of the commitment of all cadres to the party`s idealism and ethics.

"Let the pact become a national movement," he said.

Party`s advisory board deputy chairman Marzuki Alie said the signing was Anas`s obligation as part of party cadres.

"All cadres sign it which is their commitment to the party`s character and mandate which is a clean party," he said.

Marzuki had denied that Anas had earlier rejected to sign the pact as he had only done it today.

He said he had only done it because he had been informed late.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gathered party leaders on February 8 and issued the pact for signing by all cadres after party`s electability dropped.

He had also decided to take over the running of the party to allow Anas to deal with his problems.

Anas has been beleaguered by reports that he has been involved in a corruption case. He has always denied them so far while the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) also has never named him suspect in any case.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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