Indonesian president's party chief declared graft suspect

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party Chairman Anas Urbaningrum has been declared suspect in a bribery case, which may force him to resign from his chairmanship, media report here on Saturday. Anas was declared suspect by the country's anti-graft watchdog of Corruption Eradication Commision or KPK on Friday evening for allegedly taking a bribe in relation with the construction of the Hambalang sports complex in West Java. The commission also bans Anas from traveling overseas. "The KPK's preliminary investigation has found strong evidence that unveils the suspect's involvement in a bribery case and other cases related to the construction of the Hambalang sports center," KPK spokesman Johan Budi was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying. The declaration comes amid President Yudhoyono's struggle to salvage the party's popularity which has dropped to the fourth place from first in 2009 polls. Former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin first claimed that Anas had taken a bribe from PT Adikarya, a state- owned contractor involved in the project. The commission had earlier named two other suspects in the Hambalang case -- former youth and sports minister Andi Mallarangeng and Dedi Kusdinar who were charged with embezzlement of project construction funds. According to the party rules, those declared suspect should leave their position at the party.