ICW's special birthday gift to Attorney General Ghalib<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib, a three-star
\nmilitary general, got an unpleasant gift for his 53rd birthday on
\nThursday from the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW).<\/p>\n
According to the Jakarta-based independent body, Rp 1.8
\nbillion (US$225,000) was transferred to the bank accounts of
\nGhalib and his wife Andi Murniati at a national private bank in
\nJakarta from different parties, including two prominent local
\nbusinessman: Prajogo Pangestu and The Nin King.<\/p>\n
The alleged transfers in rupiah and U.S. dollars was believed
\nto have been carried out in 11 transactions, ICW executive Teten
\nMasduki told a press conference after submitting copies of the
\ndocuments to the National Military Police headquarters for
\nfurther investigation.<\/p>\n
ICW, he said, received the documents on May 27 via a courier
\nservice firm from an unknown party.<\/p>\n
"(But) we've checked the (validity of the) documents and found
\nthat they're all legitimate," Teten said but refused to show the
\ncopies to the press.<\/p>\n
The documents appeared to show that the transfers occurred
\nbetween Feb. 12 to May 6 of this year to the accounts of Andi M.
\nGhalib with the address of Jl. SMP 222 No. 2, Ceger Raya,
\nCipayung, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Teten, the documents appeared to show that local
\nbusinessmen Prajogo transferred funds worth Rp 250 million to
\nGhalib's account on April 27, and Nin King transferred money
\ntotaling Rp 200 million four days earlier.<\/p>\n
"The fact that the two people were investigated by Ghalib for
\ntheir suspected financial misdeeds, these transfers to the
\nAttorney General's account could stir public curiosity as a
\npossible bribery," he said.<\/p>\n
An ICW statement cited that Prajogo was summoned for
\nquestioning by the Attorney General Office in mid-September last
\nyear for the alleged misuse of credit funds at the businessman's
\nBank Andromeda.<\/p>\n
Early this year, the office questioned Nin King for a Rp 581
\nbillion bad debt of his company, Argo Manunggal Group, ICW said.<\/p>\n
ICW therefore hoped that the Military Police, which has the
\nlegal authority to probe misdeeds committed by active military
\nand police personnel, would further cross-examine the documents
\non Ghalib's alleged offense.<\/p>\n
According to Teten, the copies of the documents were handed
\nover earlier in the day to Col. Hendardji, director of counseling
\nand investigation of the National Military Police.<\/p>\n
"After receiving the reports, Col. Hendardji told us (ICW)
\nthat the alleged bribery may not be true. The money may be merely
\na donation he said," Bambang explained.<\/p>\n
Late Thursday, Hendardji told The Jakarta Post by phone that
\nhis office would not carry out the investigation unless ICW would
\nprovide witnesses and show strong evidence.<\/p>\n
The Military Police, he said, could not even ask Bank
\nIndonesia, the central bank, to freeze the bank accounts of
\nGhalib and his wife unless there was strong evidence on the
\nalleged bribe.<\/p>\n
While Nin King could not be reached for comment, Prajogo, once
\ncalled one of the few timber barons in Indonesia, declined to
\ncomment on the ICW report.<\/p>\n
Prajogo remained tightlipped over the case after being
\nquestioned by reporters after a meeting with Minister of Forestry
\nand Plantation Muslimin Nasution on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Ghalib is still in Europe to trace the alleged wealth of the
\nSoehartos as reported by Time.<\/p>\n
But his office spokesman in Jakarta, Soehandoyo, called ICW's
\nfinding as a "cruel political maneuver".<\/p>\n
"The findings of the transfers to Pak Andi Ghalib's account is
\na cruel political maneuver to ruin the name of the Attorney
\nGeneral as well as the corps," he said.<\/p>\n
He estimated that the documents were issued by certain parties
\nwhich intended to reach their targets in an illegitimate way.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General Office, Soehandoyo said, would soon
\ninvestigate the case and possibly ask for clarification from ICW.<\/p>\n
"It's also possible for us to launch an intelligence
\noperation," he told Antara. (asa\/gis\/bsr)<\/p>",
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