Attorney general urged to go after Ginandjar<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Corruption watchdogs urged on Sunday new Attorney General Abdul
\nRahman Saleh to review the decisions taken by his predecessor to
\nhalt probes into high-profile corruption cases, including one
\nagainst Regional Representatives Council (DPD) speaker Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita.<\/p>\n
Lucky Djani of the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) said the
\nreasons behind the decisions by Attorney General M.A. Rachman to
\nstop the probe into the Ginandjar case and several other high-
\nprofile scams were not transparent and confused the public.<\/p>\n
\"A letter to stop an investigation into the Ginandjar case was
\nsigned on Oct. 12, while the Attorney General's Office (AGO)
\nlater told the public that it decided to halt it on Oct. 23, just
\nthree days after the new attorney general was sworn in. It shows
\nthe AGO has deliberately covered up the case,\" Lucky told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He argued that the letter signed by the Deputy Attorney
\nGeneral for special crimes Sudhono Iswahyudi stated that there
\nwas insufficient evidence to continue the investigation, but
\nfailed to detail what evidence the AGO had found and what it
\nneeded.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar was accused of marking up the technical assistance
\ncontract (TAC) for the Balongan oil refinery in Indramayu, West
\nJava, causing the state to lose some US$24.8 million, when he
\nserved as mines and energy minister.<\/p>\n
Lucky said findings by the ICW showed the project was marked
\nup to benefit several people. It was also unclear whether the
\nexpensive project had ever been carried out.<\/p>\n
The late Feisal Abda'oe, a former state-owned Pertamina
\ndirector and Praptono H. Tjitrohupojo, director of PT Untraindo
\nPetrogas, were also declared suspects in the case.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar and Faisal had been detained for questioning in 2001
\nbut the AGO later released them, and declared the case closed due
\nto lack of evidence.<\/p>\n
In mid-2002, the Balongan case was reopened but a few months
\nlater Faisal died. As Ginandjar was an active military officer at
\nthe time of the alleged crime, he first had to be investigated by
\nthe military, hampering prosecutors' efforts to question him.<\/p>\n
Emmy Hafild of the Berlin-based Transparency International
\n(TI) said the decision to stop the Ginandjar case was clearly
\ninappropriate, and the AGO should reopen it immediately.<\/p>\n
\"Although President (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) has pledged to
\nprioritize the fight against corruption, and the new attorney
\ngeneral has vowed to review all closed cases, we need action, not
\njust promises. The Ginandjar case will be a test for them,\" Emmy
\ntold the Post.<\/p>\n
She urged the AGO to also review all other high-profile graft
\ncases it had closed without clear reasons.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have stopped investigating nine suspects in the
\nembezzlement of the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support (BLBI) fund,
\nwhich caused an estimated Rp 15 trillion in state losses.<\/p>\n
The freed suspects include tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim who was
\nreportedly held responsible for about Rp 10.1 trillion (US$1.1
\nbillion) of the BLBI losses.<\/p>\n
Another high-profile graft case allegedly involved former
\nPresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have said they were unable to take Soeharto to
\ncourt as his team of doctors claim he is too ill to stand trial.
\nHowever, the former dictator looked healthy attending several
\npublic functions recently and has met with several former leaders
\nincluding former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammad.<\/p>\n
Rudi Satrio, a legal expert from the University of Indonesia,
\nbacked the calls for the AGO to resume investigations into all
\ncases that were of public concern.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors had to actively seek more evidence against the
\nsuspects for trials. \"According to the law, the AGO can open the
\ncases at any time. It just a matter of its willingness. The
\npublic can help by submitting more data to them,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/attorney-general-urged-to-go-after-ginandjar-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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