No case yet against KPU members: KPK<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said that it had not
\nyet found any convincing evidence against Minister of Justice and
\nHuman Rights Hamid Awaluddin, and other existing and former
\nmembers of the General Elections Commission (KPU), linking them
\nwith the current high profile graft case involving the
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
KPK deputy director Tumpak Hatorangan told The Jakarta Post
\nthat the commission did not intend to discriminate against other
\nKPU members, who have been prosecuted for their alleged roles in
\nthe malfeasance of state funds during the holding of the 2004
\ngeneral elections.<\/p>\n
"We just haven't found any strong evidence implicating them in
\nthis case yet. So we are not able to up the status of our
\ninvestigation from a preliminary to an intensive one," Tumpak
\nsaid on Saturday.<\/p>\n
KPU chairman Nazaruddin Syamsudin, member Mulyana W. Kusumah,
\nand secretary-general Sussongko Suhardjo have been prosecuted by
\nthe KPK as defendants in the case. Another KPU member Rusadi
\nKantaprawira is being detained and facing trial.<\/p>\n
Mulyana and Sussongko were recently sentenced to 31 months and
\n30 months in jail respectively for attempting to bribe a state
\nauditor.<\/p>\n
But Hamid, who was a KPU member before being appointed a
\nmember of the current Cabinet, fellow former KPU member Anas
\nUrbaningrum, and existing members Ramlan Surbakti, Chusnul
\nMar'iyah and Valina Singka Subekti have been spared prosecution.<\/p>\n
Hamid was the government's chief negotiator in the peace talks
\nwith the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The government and GAM signed
\na peace accord on Aug. 18 in a bid to end the three-decade long
\nconflict in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The corruption charges against KPU members centered around the
\nmarking up of election costs, including the cost of procuring
\nelection materials and services. KPU officials have also been
\naccused of collecting millions of dollars in kickbacks from
\ncompanies that won procurement contracts from the KPU.<\/p>\n
Tumpak denied that the investigation against Hamid and Anas
\nhad been halted, stressing that the KPK would actively seek out
\nnew evidence.<\/p>\n
Previously, Romli Atmasasmita, a professor of law from
\nBandung's University of Padjajaran, who headed the committee that
\nselected the current KPK members, criticized the KPK for being
\ndiscriminatory in investigating graft cases involving state
\nofficials and politicians.<\/p>\n
Romli said the KPK had excluded Hamid and Anas because the
\nformer is a Cabinet minister, while the latter has recently
\njoined President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party.<\/p>\n
Romli also insisted that the KPK should proceed with its
\ninvestigation against them as KPU financial bureau head Hamdani
\nAmin and treasurer Sri Ampini had previously testified in court
\nthat all nine KPU members were involved in the case.<\/p>\n
Hamdani had said that Nazaruddin received around US$140,000 in
\nkickback money, while the other KPU members received $105,000
\neach, the secretary-general $45,000 and his deputy $30,000.<\/p>\n
"Pak Romli can say whatever he pleases ... but the truth is he
\ndoes not know the details of our investigation process, does he?"
\nTumpak said.<\/p>\n
He added that even though the testimony of Hamdani and Sri
\nclearly pointed to the involvement of all KPU members in the
\ncase, it was not strong enough to be used as the basis for the
\nlaunching of an intensive investigation.<\/p>\n
Tumpak also denied any intervention by third parties.<\/p>\n
He added that the KPK had no plans to question Hamid and other
\nKPU members, but said he would attend Hamdani's trial, at which
\nHamid will testify.<\/p>\n
"We hope that we might get some valuable information from
\nthere," Tumpak said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-case-yet-against-kpu-members-kpk-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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