President to be cleared of charges in Bruneigate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Embassy of Brunei Darussalam to Indonesia
\nhas confirmed that the US$2 million donation in financial aid
\nfrom the sultanate to the President Abdurrahman Wahid was a
\nprivate donation, Deputy Attorney for Special Crime Bachtiar
\nFahri Nasution said on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"The donation was given by the sultanate because of their
\npersonal relationship ... It is quite clear that the fund has
\nnothing to do with a donation from government to government,\"
\nFahri told reporters after the inauguration ceremony of new
\nofficials at the Attorney General's Office here.<\/p>\n
Fahri was referring to the controversial Brunei scandal,
\nwhich, along with another financial scam -- the Bulogate, had led
\nto the issuance of two censures from the House of
\nRepresentatives, which could lead to the President's impeachment.<\/p>\n
Buloggate centers around the misuse of the disbursement of Rp
\n35 billion rupiah (US$3 million) from Yanatera -- the State
\nLogistics Agency's employees welfare fund, allegedly withdrawn by
\na masseur and business associate of the President.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur, as the President is popularly known, has been quizzed
\nover both scandals. The investigation which was held at the State
\nPalace was conducted by Chairuman Harahap of the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office on May 5.<\/p>\n
When asked about the Office's conclusion over its
\ninvestigation on the two cases, Fahri said: \"We are still
\nevaluating the cases, and the conclusion will be disclosed soon.\"<\/p>\n
He said that the office had questioned 34 witnesses in the two
\nscandals, including former members of the House of
\nRepresentatives' special committee on Buloggate and Bruneigate.
\nThe questioning of the legislators was held at the House.<\/p>\n
He said the office had named four suspects in the Bulog scam
\n-- Bulog's former deputy chief Sapuan, the president's former
\nmasseur Alip Agung Suwondo, and two officials of the agency.<\/p>\n
Sapuan has been sentenced to two years in jail while Suwondo
\nis being tried at the North Jakarta District Court. (02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-to-be-cleared-of-charges-in-bruneigate-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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