Mahfud apologizes but stands by claims<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Mahfud MD apologized on
\nThursday for alleging that the Golkar Party misused funds during
\nthe 1999 general election, but not because his remarks were
\ninaccurate, rather for the "hurt" they caused the party.<\/p>\n
"I realize that Golkar might not be happy about it. I will not
\nmake any further reference (to it)," Mahfud told reporters after
\ninaugurating Ermaya Suradinata as governor of the National
\nResilience Institute (Lemhannas).<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Mahfud, who has built a reputation during his
\nbrief ministerial tenure by making controversial remarks, stopped
\nshort of saying that his allegations were inaccurate.<\/p>\n
Instead, he seemed to reinforce the allegations by saying that
\nhe is prepared to testify to a House of Representatives special
\ncommittee if one is established to probe the matter.<\/p>\n
He added that he is also ready to face Golkar in court if the
\nparty deems it necessary to pursue a legal suit against him.<\/p>\n
"I have that evidence," Mahfud boasted without elaborating any
\nfurther.<\/p>\n
Mahfud claimed earlier this week that during a recent Cabinet
\nmeeting he had been informed by Coordinating Minister for the
\nEconomy Rizal Ramli that Golkar embezzled some Rp 90 billion from
\nthe State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to fund its election campaign.<\/p>\n
Rizal himself has refused to comment on the matter.<\/p>\n
A reliable source close to the Cabinet told The Jakarta Post
\nthat the Cabinet had decided that Mahfud should be the only
\nperson to go public with this allegation.<\/p>\n
Golkar Party deputy treasurer Enggartiasto Lukito has denied
\nthe party was involved in any financial impropriety, saying that
\na full account of Golkar's books has been passed by the Supreme
\nCourt and the General Elections Commission.<\/p>\n
Separately, political observer Kusnanto Anggoro from the
\nCentre for Strategic and International Studies said the move to
\ninvestigate the misuse of the funds should not stop there, but
\nshould be followed up by tracing the assets of all political
\nparties.<\/p>\n
"I think Golkar still uses many state assets, like its
\nheadquarters in Jakarta and several state employees from the
\nState Personnel Administrative Agency (BAKN) who still work for
\nthe party. Golkar should return these assets to the state," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Kusnanto maintained that if Golkar suffers as a result of an
\ninvestigation into the source of these assets then it is a
\nconsequence that cannot be avoided.(02\/dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mahfud-apologizes-but-stands-by-claims-1447893297",
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