Moerdiono, Bustanil grilled over use of foundation funds<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Former minister\/state secretary Moerdiono and
\nformer chief of the State Logistics Agency Bustanil Arifin were
\nquestioned on Wednesday at the Attorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
Bustanil, an executive of the Amal Bhakti Muslim Pancasila
\nFoundation, one of the foundations controlled by former president
\nSoeharto, was questioned regarding the use of foundation funds,
\nAntara reported on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Officials at the Attorney General's Office said Moerdiono was
\nquestioned as a responsible party in the issuance of privileges
\nto automotive company PT Timor Putra Nasional, which is
\ncontrolled by Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra.<\/p>\n
A treasurer of another foundation, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana,
\nSoeharto's eldest daughter, is expected to be questioned on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Bustanil, who arrived at the office at 8 a.m., told reporters
\nthat all donations to the foundation were voluntary, including
\nthe monthly deductions from civil servants' salaries ranging from
\nRp 50 to Rp 1,000 depending on the salary level. There are 4.1
\nmillion civil servants according to latest data.<\/p>\n
Soeharto, he said, never instructed that civil servants must
\ndonate to the foundation, the funds of which were used to build
\n802 mosques across the country, among others things.<\/p>\n
The donations from Muslim civil servants, Bustanil said, were
\nconducted \"based on an agreement between the civil servants
\norganization, Korpri, and the foundation\".<\/p>\n
The foundation, he said, still had some Rp 51 billion.<\/p>\n
Bustanil said Soeharto had expressed hope that the public
\ncould have adequate religious facilities from their own funds.<\/p>\n
The foundation was set up in February 1982 by Soeharto and his
\nthen close ministers and advisors Bustanil, the late Alamsyah
\nRatuprawiranegara, Widjojo Nitisastro, the late Amir Machmud and
\nthen state secretary Sudharmono. Its aim was to collect
\ncharitable funds.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office has also questioned the
\ntreasurers of four other foundations under Soeharto, including
\nhis son, businessman Bambang Trihatmodjo.<\/p>\n
Soeharto himself has yet to be named a witness or suspect in
\ninvestigations into alleged corruption.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Moerdiono told the media that the decision to start
\na national car project carried out by PT Timor was \"Soeharto's
\nvision\". It was to anticipate the free trade era in which
\nIndonesia should have a national car, he said.<\/p>\n
In response to why Hutomo, or Tommy as he is widely known, was
\nawarded the rights despite being a newcomer in the industry,
\nMoerdiono said it was because it was Tommy who first held
\nnegotiations with a Korean partner which could cooperate with
\nIndonesia in producing a national car. (anr)<\/p>",
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