Ginandjar's graft case litmus test for Susilo<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's pledge to eradicate rampant
\ncorruption could be seriously tested after prosecutors announced
\non Friday that they had halted an investigation into former mines
\nand energy minister and current legislative leader Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita's graft case.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office spokesman RJ Suhandoyo said on
\nFriday that Deputy Attorney General for special crimes Sudhono
\nIswahyudi signed on Oct. 12 a letter declaring that there was not
\nsufficient evidence to pursue investigations against Ginandjar,
\nthe current Regional Representatives Council (DPD) chairman and
\nkey Golkar Party figure.<\/p>\n
\"We have done everything, but we've failed to collect enough
\nevidence. So we must stop investigating. Unless we have new data
\nthat could be used as evidence, we must close the case,\"
\nSuhandoyo told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Two other suspects in the case were the late Faisal Abda'oe,
\nformer state-owned oil company Pertamina's director, and Praptono
\nH. Tjitrohupojo, the director of PT Ustraindo Petrogas.<\/p>\n
The three were accused of corruption and markups in technical
\nassistance contracts (TAC) for the Balongan and Cepu oil fields,
\ncausing the state to lose US$24.8 million.<\/p>\n
The announcement came just two days after President Susilo
\npublicly announced that he would personally lead the country's
\nfight against corruption, which has been blamed for pushing the
\ncountry to the brink of bankruptcy.<\/p>\n
It also came just one day after the induction of new Attorney
\nGeneral Abdul Rahman Saleh, an experienced judge, who Susilo will
\nbe counting on to be at the forefront of the war on graft.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar and Faisal were detained for questioning in 2001 but
\nlater released. The prosecutors claimed that there was not strong
\nenough evidence to support the allegation.<\/p>\n
In mid-2002, the Balongan case was reopened. Faisal died just
\nmonths after the case was reopened, while the investigation
\nagainst Ginandjar was hampered by the fact that he had to be
\nfirst tried or investigated by the military as he was an active
\nmilitary officer at the time of the alleged wrongdoings.<\/p>\n
Suhandoyo said Friday that Abdul Rahman had said that he was
\nwilling to study cases that have been closed due to lack of
\nevidence, including Ginandjar's case.<\/p>\n
\"As the new attorney general, he has asked every prosecutor's
\noffice to submit reports on corruption cases they have handled.
\nThe Attorney General will study all high profile cases before
\ndeciding what to do,\" he said.<\/p>",
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