JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The National Police has summoned Setyardi Budiono, founder of Obor Rakyat tabloid, for a questioning on Thursday (Jun 19) over allegation of smear campaign against presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

According to the spokesperson of the National Police Pol. Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto, the questioning over Setyardi Budiono is a follow up over a report filed by Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla’s advocacy team on June 16.

Agus said police will also summon another founder of Obor Rakyat, Darmawan Sepriyossa, for a questioning tommorrow (Friday).

In a different place, the Chief of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Division (Bareskrim) Pol. Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius said the Police has previously questioned four other witnesses from the Press Council (Dewan Pers), the Ministry of Communication & Information, and linguistic expert.

The Chief of the National Police Gen. Sutarman, meanwhile, said the Police might charge those responsible to the circulation of Obor Rakyat tabloid with laws i.e. the Press Law No. 40/1999, the Presidential Election Law No. 42/2008, and the Criminal Code (KUHP).

Some editions of Obor Rakyat tabloid had been circulated in a number of Islamic boarding schools in East Java and West Java.

Setiyardi Budiono himself is known as the assistance of Velix Wanggai, the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s expert on regional autonomy.

Felix Wanggai, however, depended himself by arguing that Setyardi’s decision to publish Obor Rakyat tabloid was his own decision. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)