TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Police questioned Indonesian Publishers Association (IKAPI) secretary Kartini Nurdin in relation to the selling of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles' Communist Manifesto by Malaysian nationals at the Jakarta Conventional Center (JCC).
"We will question Kartini as a witness," Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Awi Setiyono said at his office on Monday, October 3, 2016.
Awi said that the Jakarta Police had to question Kartini for her role as the person in charge of a book fair held at the JCC.
To date, the Jakarta Police has not yet named suspects, but launched an investigation into potential violations against the law in connection with the book distribution. Awi suggested that the Malaysian national had allegedly violated People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) Decree No. 25/1966 on the dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
However, Awi said that the Malaysian nationals might not be aware of the ban on communism in Indonesia. Awi revealed that the books were printed in Malaysia to be sold in Indonesia. The Indonesian authorities had deported the Malaysian nationals back to their country on Sunday, October 2, 2016.
Earlier, Police questioned Malaysian nationals, Zulkifri Zamir bin Mohamad Munir (31) with publisher Thukul Cetak, and Sakri bin Abdullah (51), the manager of a booth at the book fair. In addition, two booth attendants, Mohd Rozla bin Muhammed Noor (46), and Khairul Nizam bin Muhammad Yunis (45) were also questioned.
AVIT HIDAYAT
