AG to summon Akbar, Wiranto<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office plans to summon a present and a
\nformer high-ranking official to check whether they really
\nreceived part of some Rp 54.6 billion (US$49.6 million) in funds
\nbelonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), the office's
\nspokesman said.<\/p>\n
Spokesman Mulyohardjo said on Wednesday that Speaker of the
\nHouse of Representatives Akbar Tandjung and former coordinating
\nminister for political, social and security affairs Gen. (ret)
\nWiranto would be summoned to clarify allegations made by former
\nBulog chief Rahardi Ramelan, one of the suspects in the Bulog
\nscam.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Rahardi said on Tuesday that he had disbursed some Rp
\n54.6 billion from the agency's non-budgetary funds when he was
\nhead of the organization,\" Muljohardjo told reporters at his
\noffice.<\/p>\n
\"Since he said he gave some Rp 40 billion to Pak Akbar
\nTandjung and another Rp 10 billion to Pak Wiranto, with the
\nremaining Rp 4.6 billion going to PT Goro Batara Sakti (formerly
\nowned by Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra) in connection with a land
\nswap deal, we will ask for clarification by summoning both Akbar
\nTandjung and Wiranto,\" Muljohardjo said.<\/p>\n
Akbar and Wiranto were serving as cabinet secretary and armed
\nforces chief\/minister of defense and security respectively when
\nthe alleged disbursement of the funds took place.<\/p>\n
Akbar, Wiranto and Rahardi were former ministers who served in
\nthe administration of president B.J. Habibie between 1998 and
\n1999.<\/p>\n
Rahardi has been charged as a suspect in the corruption case
\ninvolving a land swap deal between Bulog and PT Goro in which
\nTommy Soeharto -- the youngest son of former president Soeharto
\n-- has just been controversially acquitted of all charges by the
\nSupreme Court.<\/p>\n
Rahardi revealed to reporters on Tuesday that the disbursement
\nof the funds was carried out in line with a decision made at a
\nlimited Cabinet meeting in March 1999.<\/p>\n
Rahardi, who was minister of trade and industry at the time,
\nmade his statement after being questioned by investigating
\nprosecutors.<\/p>\n
According to him, the Rp 40 billion handed over to Akbar had
\noriginally been allocated for purchasing food and other basic
\ncommodities as many people were unable to meet their daily needs
\ndue to the economic crisis in February and March of 1999<\/p>\n
Akbar was appointed by the meeting to take charge of
\nchanneling the funds through the social safety net scheme,
\nRahardi said.<\/p>\n
As a result of the worsening security situation at the time,
\nthe other Rp 10 billion was used to finance the establishment of
\na civilian militia, popularly called Pamswakarsa, he said, adding
\nthat Wiranto had been assigned to handle the project.<\/p>\n
Muljohardjo, however, did not elaborate as to when his office
\nwould summon Akbar and Wiranto, saying that prosecutors must
\nfirst clarify whether the Cabinet meeting at the time had the
\nauthority to make certain political decisions in line with the
\ngovernment's policies.<\/p>\n
\"And should the meeting have that authority, we will then seek
\nclarification as to whether this disbursement caused loss to the
\nstate and whether it (the disbursement) was made in order to
\nsupport government policy,\" Muljohardjo said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ag-to-summon-akbar-wiranto-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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