Moerdiono questioned over land swindle<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Former minister\/state secretary Moerdiono was
\ngrilled by the Attorney General's Office yesterday over a 1994
\nscam in which state land was used as collateral on an Rp 90
\nbillion loan for the construction of condominiums in Kemayaron,
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the Attorney General's Office Barman Zahir said
\nMoerdiono was questioned for over two hours by a team led by the
\nhead of intelligence operations Sudibyo Saleh.<\/p>\n
Barman said Moerdiono maintained his innocence throughout the
\nsession.<\/p>\n
The case revolves around a 25,000 square meter plot of land in
\nKemayaron which was allegedly put up as collateral for the
\ndevelopment of condominiums.<\/p>\n
The state land falls under the authority of Kemayoran Area
\nDevelopment Board (BPKK), which minister\/state secretary
\nMoerdiono chaired.<\/p>\n
A board executive, Hindro T. Soemardjan, and real estate
\ntycoon Seno Margono allegedly used the land as collateral.<\/p>\n
\"I never knew the land had been used as collateral,\" Moerdiono
\nsaid, as quoted by Barman.<\/p>\n
Seno, director of PT Duta Adi Putra, is being charged with
\nillegally converting the status of the land from state asset to
\npersonal asset to acquire the loans.<\/p>\n
Seno, 38, is the son-in-law of businessman Hendra Rahardja,
\nthe brother of notorious fugitive Eddy Tansil, the petrochemical
\nbusinessman who escaped from jail two years ago.<\/p>\n
Tansil was sentenced to 20 years in jail for defrauding
\nBapindo Bank of US$620 million. He is still at large.<\/p>\n
It is unclear if Moerdiono will be summoned for further
\nquestioning.<\/p>\n
\"It depends on how the investigation develops,\" Barman said,
\nadding that the sole suspect in the case was Seno, although
\nHindro had also been questioned several times.<\/p>\n
Barman said Moerdiono was dressed in a white short-sleeved
\nshirt with blue pants. He came alone. The chauffeur of his blue
\nVolvo met him at the door at the end of the questioning.<\/p>\n
\"He arrived 15 minutes before the questioning began at 9
\na.m.,\" Barman said.<\/p>\n
Corrupt<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, activists and human rights figures launched
\nanother independent commission under the name of \"Indonesian
\nCorruption Watch\" to fight for the recovery of assets allegedly
\nobtained illegally by the Soeharto family.<\/p>\n
The group is the second of its kind to form in reaction to
\npublic pressure to investigate the fortune accumulated by the
\nousted president and his family during the 32 years he was in
\npower.<\/p>\n
Board members of the new commission include Trisakti
\nUniversity dean of law and former justice Adi Andojo, the
\nIndonesian Legal Aid Foundation director Bambang Widjojanto, PDBI
\nexecutive director Christianto Wibisono and noted lawyer Todung
\nMulya Lubis.<\/p>\n
The group's operations director Teten Masduki said that
\nSoeharto's assets should be reclaimed through a political
\nmechanism so that the process had a strong legal basis.<\/p>\n
The group's statement also said the upcoming extraordinary
\nsession of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) at the end of
\nthe year should ratify a decree on reclaiming the Soeharto family
\nwealth.<\/p>\n
Todung tried to reassure foreign investors and the public that
\nthe investigation would be lucid in its attempt to recover stolen
\nstate wealth without infringing on the private property of
\nothers.<\/p>\n
\"We don't intend to destroy existing companies but simply to
\nreturn assets and equities which belong to the country.\" Todung
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a group of 18 University of Indonesia law school
\nstudents met with Attorney General Soedjono C. Atmonegoro at the
\nlatter's office yesterday to press for a clean and professional
\njudiciary system.<\/p>\n
After almost one hour of frank discussions, Soedjono signed a
\nlarge white banner inscribed with anti-corruption slogans which
\nthe students had brought with them. (byg)<\/p>",
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