Akbar confident he won't stand trial<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Public outrage and intense media scrutiny into the misuse of
\nmore than Rp 50 billion of State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds
\nis yet to send a chill down House Speaker Akbar Tandjung's spine.<\/p>\n
Akbar calmly said he saw no reason for the Attorney General's
\nOffice (AGO) to declare him a suspect in the alleged diversion of
\nRp 40 billion of the funds from Bulog to the Golkar Party he
\nchairs.<\/p>\n
\"What will be the reason to declare me a suspect?\" Akbar told
\nreporters after meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
His statement came after prosecutors said they still needed
\nmore time to re-examine evidence and determine Akbar's role.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, pro-democracy activists urge the Attorney General's
\nOffice on Wednesday to disclose public deception in connection
\nwith the inquiry on the misappropriation of the Rp 40 billion
\nfunds.<\/p>\n
\"Public fraud in the reform era will get unveiled. People
\ncan't be deceived any longer,\" said activist Nuku Soleiman.<\/p>\n
Nuku was referring to the inconsistencies of Golkar chairman
\nAkbar Tandjung and Dadang Sukandar, chairman of the Raudlatul
\nJannah foundation handling a food program funded with the Bulog
\nmoney, in the session of inquiry.<\/p>\n
The activists also expected that the revelation of the
\nfinancial scam should pave the way for the disclosure of other
\ncorrupt practices.<\/p>\n
Nuku also appeals fellow activists to observe and give support
\nto a plan from legislators to form an inquiry team on January
\nnext year.<\/p>\n
Akbar is officially a witness in the graft case. The former
\nchief of Bulog, Rahardi Ramelan, has been declared a suspect.<\/p>\n
The alleged involvement of Akbar in this case was first
\ndisclosed by Rahardi who told the press that he had given Rp 40
\nbillion to Akbar and Rp 10 billion to Wiranto, the then military
\nchief in 1999.<\/p>\n
The remaining Rp 4.6 billion was spent as the result of the
\ncancellation of a land-swap deal between Bulog and PT Goro Batara
\nSakti, a retail chain owned by Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra.<\/p>\n
Bulog's former deputy chief of finance Achmad Ruskandar has
\nbeen declared a suspect in the misuse of the Rp 4.6 billion.<\/p>\n
It was revealed later that Akbar, the then minister\/state
\nsecretary, had spent the fund to finance the food-for-the-poor
\nproject in 1999.<\/p>\n
Akbar said that he would be ready to meet AGO officials for
\nfurther questioning. \"If there is something that needs
\nclarification, I will be ready.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/akbar-confident-he-wont-stand-trial-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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