Police may question Akbar over land scam<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Pressure over a housing scam allegedly involving
\nGolkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung is growing with National
\nPolice spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf on Thursday suggesting
\nthat Akbar could be questioned pending the emergence of further
\nevidence.<\/p>\n
\"If there is strong evidence of a crime, we might summon Akbar
\nfor questioning. Nobody is above the law,\" Saleh told reporters.<\/p>\n
He said the police would ask for a presidential waiver of
\nlegislative immunity, as required for the investigation or
\nquestioning of a member of the House.<\/p>\n
Saleh however said that initially the police would take
\nfurther testimony from Kurnia Ananta, the alleged victim, who
\naccused Akbar of having falsified land title documents.<\/p>\n
Saleh also revealed that the National Ombudsman Commission on
\nJan. 23 had recommended that the police investigate the case.<\/p>\n
Kurnia, who claims to be a close relative of Akbar, filed a
\npolice complaint in 1995 over fake titles to 90,000 square meters
\nof land in Srengseng subdistrict, Kebun Jeruk district, West
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
At the time Akbar was Minister of Public Housing.<\/p>\n
Last year, Kurnia twice reported the case to the police in
\nJuly and in September. After receiving an \"unsatisfactory
\nresponse\", he then complained to the ombudsman commission last
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Saleh admitted that the police had yet to fully probe the
\ncase, hoping that it could be settled amicably among the family
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
\"First, we thought that it was a family matter. But if the
\nfamily cannot settle the matter, we will handle it,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro had earlier
\nindicated that the police were opening files on past corruption
\ncases following hints by President Abdurrahman Wahid that 10
\nformer officials and businessmen from the New Order era would
\nsoon be investigated.<\/p>\n
Earlier, several politicians had reported Akbar to Attorney
\nGeneral Marzuki Darusman for his alleged involvement in a scam
\nover the Housing Savings Fund (Taperum).<\/p>\n
Golkar was also accused of siphoning off Rp 90 billion of
\nState Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds during the 1999 general
\nelection campaign.<\/p>\n
These allegations have recently come to the fore following the
\nHouse's motion to censure Abdurrahman for his alleged involvement
\nin the Bulog and Brunei financial scandals. (jun)<\/p>",
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