Gus Dur questioned over Bulog scandal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Unlike the grilling of other witnesses in the Rp
\n35 billion State Logistics Agency (Bulog) scam, police took a
\nmore polite approach in questioning President Abdurrahman Wahid,
\nwho has been named a witness in the crime.<\/p>\n
Taking place at the presidential palace on Friday night, the
\nteam of investigators from the Jakarta Police were escorted by
\nseveral top-brass officers, including National Police chief Gen.
\nRusdihardjo, Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi, and the
\nnewly appointed Jakarta Police detectives chief Col. Harry
\nMontolalu.<\/p>\n
When contacted on Saturday, National Police spokesman Brig.
\nGen. Dadang Garnida confirmed the special treatment but refused
\nto disclose the results of the questioning by the team led by
\nformer Jakarta Police detectives chief Col. Alex Bambang
\nRiatmodjo.<\/p>\n
According to Dadang, the results would be used by the Jakarta
\nPolice detectives to investigate the case further.<\/p>\n
\"The questioning was conducted for about three hours from 7
\np.m. in which the team asked Gus Dur 12 questions,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur is the President's nickname.<\/p>\n
Previously, most of the witnesses and suspects in the scam
\nwere questioned at the Jakarta Police headquarters and, after the
\nquestioning session, were surrounded by the waiting reporters.<\/p>\n
According to Dadang, officer Alex, who has been promoted to
\nBandung Police chief after being replaced by Harry, was chosen to
\nlead the questioning because, among other reasons, he has been
\nhandling the case from the very beginning.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur has been named a suspect in the case in which his
\nmasseur, Suwondo, had allegedly received the Rp 35 billion taken
\nfrom Bulog's employee foundation, Yanatera, which was allegedly
\nthen disbursed by the agency's deputy chairman Sapuan.<\/p>\n
Suwondo, as claimed by Sapuan, acted on the President's behalf
\nafter Gus Dur held a meeting with Sapuan to request that the
\nagency participate in a humanitarian program in the strife-torn
\nprovince of Aceh.<\/p>\n
A few days after being promoted, Alex said he believed that
\nthe President was clean of any wrongdoings and that Sapuan, who
\nhas been in police custody, was the main suspect in the case.
\nSapuan, he said, might have been attempting to win the
\nPresident's favor by fulfilling his masseur's request, in the
\nhope that one day he'd be appointed to head Bulog.<\/p>\n
Separately, chief Rusdihardjo said that the questioning of the
\nhead of the state served to show the supremacy of the law.<\/p>\n
\"(The questioning) proved that everybody is equal before the
\nlaw,\" Rusdihardjo said during an interview with SCTV.<\/p>\n
The query, which was mostly unseen by the press, was initially
\nscheduled for next Monday.<\/p>\n
Dadang said that the change of schedule happened only because
\nthe President had a full schedule, especially on Monday and
\nTuesday. (08)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-questioned-over-bulog-scandal-1447893297",
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