Former 'TVRI' president Sumita questioned as a suspect in graft case<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Former president director of cash-strapped state-owned television
\nstation TVRI, Sumita Tobing was questioned by the National Police
\non Wednesday over her alleged involvement in the graft of Rp 14.5
\nbillion (US$1.7 million).<\/p>\n
A police investigator, who requested anonymity, said Sumita
\nwas summoned due to her involvement in the illegal procurement of
\nseveral video cameras worth Rp 14.5 billion.<\/p>\n
Video cameras capable of shooting broadcast quality footage
\ncost at least Rp 300 million each.<\/p>\n
\"She was charged for document forgery relating to the
\nprocurement of the cameras,\" the source said.<\/p>\n
If convicted Sumita could face a maximum sentence of six years
\nin jail.<\/p>\n
The source also said that police had questioned 17 witnesses
\nout of an expected 33 witnesses in the case.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by her lawyers, Sumita admitted on Wednesday that
\nshe was summoned as a suspect for document forgery.<\/p>\n
\"I received a summons today for questioning as a suspect. It
\nstates that the questioning is over document forgery,\" she said
\nat the police headquarters before the questioning.<\/p>\n
However, she claimed that she did not know the objectives of
\nthe investigation, and wanted to clarify the case with the
\npolice.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know who reported the case to the police... I don't
\nknow what today's questioning is all about. That's what I want to
\nask the investigators,\" she said during a short break in the
\ninterrogation.<\/p>\n
Sumita was replaced by Hari Sulistyono on April 15 following a
\nconflict between several members of the board of directors and
\nSumita.<\/p>\n
The conflict had peaked when Sumita suspended Sutrimo, the
\nmarketing director, Badaruddin, administration and finance
\ndirector, and two other directors of the television station.<\/p>\n
Eyebrows were raised when the positions were filled by
\ndirectors with little background in the television industry.<\/p>\n
Hari's career in journalism, for example, consisted of heading
\nthe short-lived Lippostar news portal. Limited experience
\ncompared to Sumita's career in television, spanning 30 years.<\/p>\n
Enny Anggraeni Hardjanto -- as the director of news and
\nprograms -- a position that would normally require vast media
\nexperience is a former Citibank vice president.<\/p>\n
And Golkar Party secretary general Lt. Gen. (ret) Budi Harsono
\nwas appointed as commissioner.<\/p>\n
TVRI experienced financial difficulties when the government
\ncut subsidies to the station, following its change of status from
\nperusahaan jawatan (a company financially dependent on the
\ngovernment but allowed to sell ads) to perusahaan terbatas
\n(limited liability company no longer enjoying government
\nsubsidies) in April 2002.<\/p>\n
The financial problems only got worse, forcing affiliated
\nstations in major cities to halt operations in October last year,
\nlike those in Aceh, Lampung, Bengkulu and Central Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Until last year, TVRI -- which has 23 stations and 395
\ntransmitters across the country -- had an annual budget of Rp 150
\nbillion. Of that amount, Rp 70 billion was allocated to pay the
\nsalaries of more than 7,000 employees. But the remaining amount
\nwas not enough to repair or maintain transmitting equipment, let
\nalone buy or make programs.<\/p>",
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