Indonesia to hire foreign investigator<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie has agreed to hire a
\nforeign private investigator to trace any money obtained through
\ngraft and deposited abroad by Indonesians, including assets
\nallegedly owned by former president Soeharto and his children,
\nMinister of Justice disclosed on Monday.<\/p>\n
"There is a need for an international private investigator to
\ntrack money obtained through laundering and corruption... and
\nthe President has approved it," Muladi said after meeting with
\nthe President and Attorney General Lt. Gen. Andi M. Ghalib at
\nHabibie's residence in Patra Kuningan, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The minister emphasized the private money tracker would not
\nonly target the former first family and their cronies, but also
\nany citizens suspected of transferring money thought to be
\nobtained through graft.<\/p>\n
Muladi said the President's decision was based on a
\nrecommendation by himself and Ghalib following their recent trip
\nto Austria and Switzerland, which he described as a successful
\ntrip.<\/p>\n
According to Muladi, a professor of law, the government would
\nselect one of the world's best investigators, but quickly
\nexcluded professional money tracker Kroll Associates from the
\nlist.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that the government previously hired the
\ncompany to investigate businessman Eddy Tansil, who was found
\nguilty of taking more than US$430 million from state Bank
\nPembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) for the construction of several
\nchemical factories under his Golden Key Group in a credit scam
\nrun between 1989 and 1990.<\/p>\n
Eddy escaped from Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta in May
\n1996, with many believing he fled to China. The government never
\nreleased the results of the Kroll investigation.<\/p>\n
"This time we will not use Kroll, but will select a similar
\ncompany," Muladi said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
The two Cabinet ministers reported the result of their visit
\nto the two countries to follow up a recent report of Time
\nmagazine in which it claimed the Soehartos transferred US$9
\nbillion from Switzerland to an Austrian bank shortly after
\nSoeharto resigned as president in May last year.<\/p>\n
Muladi claimed the two countries agreed to closely cooperate
\nwith Indonesia in hunting down Soeharto's alleged wealth. He was
\nconfident that the government would be able to resolve the
\nmystery of the money in a few months.<\/p>\n
He said the government would also take steps to enter
\nagreements on mutual assistance on criminal matters with Austria
\nand Switzerland in paving the way for the probe.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged the two governments required Indonesia to
\nsubmit requests for such agreements to them.<\/p>\n
"There is an urgent need for efforts to enter agreements on
\nmutual assistance on criminal matters between Indonesia and
\nSwitzerland and Austria," Muladi said.<\/p>\n
Muladi added that Indonesia was also obliged to have a law on
\nmoney laundering. He claimed his ministry had finished drafting a
\nbill and would soon submit it to the House of Representatives
\n(DPR).<\/p>\n
Warning<\/p>\n
Muladi also warned Soeharto and his children to be more
\ncooperative with the government and stop hiding their wealth. He
\nsaid it would be dangerous for them if they continued hiding the
\nfacts because people would eventually learn the truth.<\/p>\n
The minister pointed out the government had collected
\npreliminary evidence on their wealth, and that the former
\npresident was not free from any wrongdoing during his tenure.<\/p>\n
He said the management of Soeharto's foundations and the
\ndecrees he issued for his children's businesses could become
\nevidence of abuses of power.<\/p>\n
"The situation will be worse for them (if they are not
\nhonest)," warned Muladi. (prb)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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