Minister quizzed over graft in election body<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin on Wednesday
\nunderwent questioning over illegal funds allegedly channeled to
\nhim while he was a member of the General Elections Commission
\n(KPU).<\/p>\n
Emerging from an interrogation room at the Corruption
\nEradication Commission (KPK) after six hours of questioning,
\nHamid denied involvement in the case, which revolves around some
\nRp 20 billion (US$2.1 million) in kickbacks collected from
\ncompanies that won tenders to provide election materials.<\/p>\n
Hamid, admitted, however, that he received honorariums of
\nvarious amounts, separate from his monthly salary of Rp
\n10,625,000 ($1,115), for taking part in several working
\ncommittees dealing with provision of election materials.<\/p>\n
The honorariums, he said, were legal as he received the money
\nin envelopes that bore the KPU logo, and was given receipts that
\nwere signed by the poll body's treasurer Hamdani Amin, who has
\nbeen named a suspect in the case.<\/p>\n
"I was not aware of where the money came from and I was not in
\nthe position to ask since the receipts were signed by the
\ntreasurer," Hamid told reporters after the questioning.<\/p>\n
Hamdani has told the KPK investigators that each KPU member
\nreceived $105,000, while the chairman and deputy chairman
\nreceived $145,000 and $125,000 respectively from the kickbacks.<\/p>\n
KPU chief Nazaruddin Syamsuddin, member Mulyana W. Kusumah and
\nacting secretary general Sussongko Suhardjo have been declared
\nsuspects in the case.<\/p>\n
Hamid appeared for questioning after leading the government's
\nnegotiators in the just-concluded fourth round of talks with the
\nFree Aceh Movement leaders in Helsinki.<\/p>\n
KPK investigators quizzed Hamid about the organizational
\nsystem of the poll body and its decision-making processes,
\naccording to Hamid.<\/p>\n
The minister said he had never heard about or attended a
\nplenary meeting to discuss distribution of kickbacks.<\/p>\n
KPU member Daan Dimara had earlier confessed to receiving U.S.
\ncurrency funds from Hamdani, an account that Hamid has denied.<\/p>\n
Hamid also said he knew nothing about $170,000 in cash from PT
\nPura Barutama that went to the KPU. The company supplied voting
\ncards after winning a Rp 70 billion tender conducted by a Hamid-
\nled working committee.<\/p>\n
When traveling abroad, Hamid said that he received allowances
\nfrom the KPU treasurer.<\/p>\n
"The amount of money was exactly the same as mentioned in my
\nletter of overseas duty," Hamid said, adding that the amount of
\nallowances varied.<\/p>\n
As an example, he said received $2,700 for a seven-day trip to
\nCanada.<\/p>\n
During his term as a KPU member, Hamid said he had traveled to
\nSouth Africa, the United States, Egypt and Canada.<\/p>\n
When asked about his future as a minister, Hamid said he was
\nleaving this up to the President who has the prerogative to
\nappoint and dismiss Cabinet members.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/minister-quizzed-over-graft-in-election-body-1447893297",
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