Laksamana at center of graft allegations<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office is looking into corruption
\nallegations against State Minister for State Enterprises
\nLaksamana Sukardi, the attorney general said.<\/p>\n
\"We just received the reports on Friday and we are examining
\nthem now. We can't ban someone from making overseas trips without
\nreading the reports first,\" said Attorney General M.A. Rachman<\/p>\n
Representatives of the Association of University of Indonesia
\nAlumni, the Bandung Institute of Technology Alumni, the Trisakti
\nUniversity Alumni and the Civil Society Professionals submitted
\nto the Attorney General's Office last Friday reports alleging
\nthat Laksamana was involved in corruption in several divestment
\nprograms over the past several years.<\/p>\n
The reports included the controversial divestment of
\ntelecommunications firm Indosat in 2002, the sale of Pertamina
\ntankers in 2004 and several other divestment programs.<\/p>\n
Deputy Attorney General for Intelligence Basrief Arief said
\nhis office had formed a team to study the reports.<\/p>\n
\"The reports include the divestment of Indosat several years
\nago. We have to study the documents first. We have formed a team
\nfor that. After that we will make a decision,\" said Basrief.<\/p>\n
He also said that earlier complaints filed with the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office against other high-ranking officials would also
\nbe examined. They include complaints against Minister for Trade
\nand Industry Rini MS Soewandi and the former chairman of the now
\ndefunct Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency, Syafruddin
\nTemenggung.<\/p>\n
In a bid to raise cash to cover the budget deficit, the
\ngovernment has sold its shares in several firms, including Bank
\nCentral Asia and Indosat.<\/p>\n
The sale of the government stake in Indosat to Singapore
\nTechnologies Telemedia was heavily criticized, partly due to a
\nlack of transparency and alleged irregularities in the sale.<\/p>\n
A number of legislators said at the time they would set up a
\nspecial team to investigate the transaction. However, no action
\nwas taken.<\/p>\n
Laksamana dismissed the corruption allegations on Monday,
\nsaying all of the sales of state shares had been conducted in
\naccordance with the Constitution and all current laws.<\/p>\n
\"We have laws that regulate the process. I just execute the
\nprograms. The government also has working committees comprising
\nseveral ministers. We also have to get legislators' approval. So,
\nit's not Laksamana doing the privatization,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that if any divestment of a state company had the
\npotential to cause losses to the state, it would never have
\nproceeded because the House of Representatives would not have
\napproved the sale.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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