Documents on alleged graft by Prajogo submitted<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Former secretary-general of the Ministry of
\nForestry Suripto handed documents to the Attorney General's
\nOffice on Wednesday regarding the alleged involvement of tycoon
\nPrajogo Pangestu in corrupt practices at PT Musi Hutan Persada.<\/p>\n
Suripto claimed that PT Musi had marked up the size of its
\ntimber plantation estate from its actual area of 118,000 hectares
\nto 193,500 hectares in order to obtain a state loan from the
\nreforestation funds, causing some Rp 331 billion in losses to the
\nstate.<\/p>\n
He further charged that PT Musi, in accordance with the
\nregulations, should have submitted a loan application to the
\nbank, which would then have forwarded it to the forestry
\nministry. Instead Prajogo went directly to then president
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
Describing himself as a concerned citizen who had access to
\nthe documents, Suripto also said PT Musi reneged on its
\nobligation to pay the loan interest to Bank Mandiri, which had
\nreached Rp 154 billion by December last year.<\/p>\n
\"The company should be fined at least Rp 2.5 billion because
\nit has yet to pay any interest. I think the state prosecutors
\nshould also investigate the involvement of Bank Mandiri's
\nmanagement,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Suripto further charged that prior to leaving the ministry
\nlast month, his office found evidence that there were
\ndiscrepancies in the company's assets and industry concessions
\nthat were likely manipulated to obtain Rp 9.91 trillion from a
\nconsortium of 25 international banks.<\/p>\n
After a one-hour meeting with prosecutor Soewandi, Suripto
\ntold journalists on Wednesday that his visit was at the request
\nof Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, whom he met on Tuesday
\nnight.<\/p>\n
Earlier on March 21, Suripto submitted documents, alleging
\nthat in the early 1990s in his capacity as owner of timber
\ncompany PT Musi Hutan Lestari, Prajogo, together with Soeharto's
\neldest daughter Siti Hardijanti \"Tutut\" Rukmana, claimed to be
\nmanaging a 193,500 hectare plantation in Kalimantan, in order to
\nobtain a loan from the reforestation funds.<\/p>\n
The money, according to Soeripto, was disbursed after
\nintervention from the state secretary. Until now, PT Musi has yet
\nto repay the loan, which was due in July 1999.<\/p>\n
Suripto was sacked as the ministry's secretary-general by
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid on March 27, following the dismissal
\nof minister of forestry Nurmahmudi Ismail two weeks earlier.<\/p>\n
Suripto had been at the center of a controversy at that time,
\nwith the President charging the former military intelligence
\nofficer with attempting to oust him. This was a claim that
\nultimately contributed to Nurmahmudi's dismissal, as the latter
\nrefused to replace Suripto.<\/p>\n
Several analysts view Suripto as a key figure behind the
\nministry's aggressive campaign to end the decades-long control of
\nthe country's forestry sector by businessmen linked to the former
\nSoeharto regime. (hdn\/bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/documents-on-alleged-graft-by-prajogo-submitted-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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