Neutral accounting firm to audit Ghalib's accounts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government will appoint an independent
\naccounting firm to audit the bank accounts of Attorney General
\nLt. Gen. Andi M. Ghalib in an attempt to take a transparent and
\njust decision against the bribery case allegedly committed by the
\nlatter.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice Muladi, who made the announcement on
\nFriday, said President B.J. Habibie's decision to hire a neutral
\naccounting firm was taken after he summoned Coordinating Minister
\nfor Development Supervision and State Apparatus Reforms Hartarto
\nand Ghalib to his private residence in Patra Kuningan, South
\nJakarta, on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
The auditing is expected to be completed within one week, said
\nMuladi.<\/p>\n
\"It's aimed at obtaining more objective portraits of what has
\nhappened with Pak Ghalib's accounts,\" Muladi said after meeting
\nwith the President at Bina Graha presidential office on Friday
\nmorning.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists earlier in the morning, Muladi said
\nthe President ordered him to employ Development Finance
\nComptroller (BPKP) and an independent accounting company.<\/p>\n
\"If we hire BPKP there will be an impression that we are one-
\nsided,\" Muladi explained about the change.<\/p>\n
Habibie was scheduled to consult with Hartarto and Muladi on
\nFriday, but a meeting with Ghalib was not on his agenda.<\/p>\n
According to Muladi, Habibie cross-checked the case directly
\nwith Ghalib.<\/p>\n
Muladi compared the President's way in verifying the case with
\nGhalib's way in searching for the Soehartos' possible bank
\naccounts in Switzerland earlier this month.<\/p>\n
\"The summons of Ghalib (by Habibie) means a preliminary
\ninquiry, just like what was conducted in searching for Pak
\nHarto's (alleged) wealth in Switzerland,\" Muladi noted.<\/p>\n
Muladi, also minister\/state secretary, and Ghalib recently
\nwent to Switzerland and Austria for a week to check Time's report
\nthat the former president allegedly transferred US$9 billion from
\nSwitzerland to an Austrian bank.<\/p>\n
On June 3, while Ghalib celebrated his 53rd birthday abroad,
\nIndonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) executive coordinator Teten
\nMasduki announced in Jakarta that Ghalib collected no less than
\nRp 13 billion from August 1998 to May 1999.<\/p>\n
The money was put in 14 bank accounts and four time deposits,
\nat the Bank Lippo branch in Melawai, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Ghalib has threatened to sue the bank. He also insisted the
\nmoney, collected from various sources including problematic
\nbankers, was used to finance the Indonesian Wrestling Association
\n(PGSI), which he chairs.<\/p>\n
He also claimed that PGSI treasurer Tahir, the son-in-law of
\nLippo Group chairman Mochtar Riady, was responsible for the fund-
\nraising.<\/p>\n
Teten met with Habibie on Thursday and presented him with all
\nthe documents to back up the allegation that Ghalib abused power
\nto enrich himself and his family.<\/p>\n
Teten also told the President that he was called an 'animal'
\nby the attorney general.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Ghalib should not be emotional, by saying (whether Teten)
\nis an animal or a human being,\" the President told Muladi during
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
The minister confirmed during the meeting that Habibie's
\nresidence was packed with guests, mostly Buginese from South
\nSulawesi, the homeland of Ghalib.<\/p>\n
Some of them tried to defend Ghalib, but some blasted him for
\nhis threat to commit Bugis siri, or revenge for humiliation
\nagainst dignity according to Bugis customs.<\/p>\n
\"Many people from South Sulawesi gathered there. They were
\nemotional both against Ghalib and the allegations against him,\"
\nMuladi noted.<\/p>\n
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, prominent sociologist
\nMattulada urged Ghalib not to incite ethnic sentiments in a bid
\nfor public support.<\/p>\n
\"As a national official, Ghalib must think nationally, and not
\nuse tribal sentiments,\" Mattulada said on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"As a Buginese, he must be honest and resolute. If he is
\nguilty he must concede to it,\" Mattulada added.<\/p>\n
Habibie himself was born in South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
Gajah Mada University Rector Ichlasul Amal said Habibie's
\nchances to win the next presidential election would be influenced
\nby his decision on the attorney general.<\/p>\n
\"The sacking of Ghalib will boost his bargaining position,\" he
\nsaid on Friday in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Teten criticized Habibie for slow action against
\nthe attorney general saying that the President has a prerogative
\npower to sack cabinet members directly when they commit crime or
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
\"He should not wait until the auditing is complete,\" Teten
\nsaid on the sidelines of a discussion on Ghalib organized on
\nFriday by ICW in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The discussion, titled the \"Ghalib phenomenon : Overview from
\nJournalistic, Ethic and Law Perspectives\", also featured among
\nothers Bismar Siregar, former justice of Supreme Court, Bambang
\nPurnomo, a law professor from Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity, Gandhi, former deputy attorney general for state
\nadministration Suhadibroto and weekly Tempo's executive Bambang
\nHarymurti. (prb\/asa\/27\/23)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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