Rudini joins debate over Bantul regent<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The public scrutiny of Bantul regent Col. Sri
\nRoso Sudarmo for his alleged use of public money to fund a
\ntransaction with a local soothsayer continued yesterday with
\nformer home affairs minister Rudini taking his turn to speak out.<\/p>\n
Rudini, who is also a former Army chief of staff, questioned
\nthe source of the Rp 1 billion (US$425,000) reportedly promised
\nby the regent to the soothsayer prior to his re-election.<\/p>\n
\"That amount is a lot for a regency like Bantul; it could have
\nbeen used to run its development program. Punitive measures
\nshould be taken if he is proved to have embezzled the money from
\nthe regency's annual budget,\" Rudini said.<\/p>\n
Scrutiny of Sudarmo began shortly after speculation emerged
\nthat he was involved in the August murder of a Yogyakarta
\njournalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin. Fuad, known as Udin, had
\nwritten articles on alleged administrative corruption by the
\nregency before his death.<\/p>\n
A travel agent employee, Dwi Sumaji, was charged with the
\nmurder but, after a two-month investigation, was released him
\nWednesday. He remains the suspect, however, although the police
\nrefuse to comment on any possible redetention.<\/p>\n
Rudini refused to comment on the implied link between any
\npossible embezzlement and Udin's killing, saying that the murder
\ncase was being handled by the police.<\/p>\n
However, Rudini called on the Armed Forces chief to order an
\ninvestigation of the regent, who is still in military service.<\/p>\n
According to Indonesian military career planning, an officer
\nmust receive the Armed Forces chief's consent before accepting a
\ncivilian posting.<\/p>\n
\"If he is proved to have made the deal with a soothsayer, the
\nArmed Forces chief can ask the Ministry of Home Affairs to send
\nhim (Sudarmo) back to barracks and can investigate and try him,\"
\nRudini said.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Armed Forces' sociopolitical affairs personnel
\nassistant, Maj. Gen. Soegijardjo, said in Bandung yesterday that
\nin principle the Armed Forces will stick to its commitment to
\nsupport justice.<\/p>\n
\"But we have to look deeply into what sort of violation the
\nregent might have done before running an investigation,\"
\nSoegijardjo said, adding that he has yet to receive an official
\norder for an investigation.<\/p>\n
He guaranteed that the Armed Forces will never let any
\nviolators escape. \"A small mistake, let's say the loss of a
\nbutton, will be punished, let alone a big mistake,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Soegijardjo said that Sudarmo was given a second five-year
\nterm on the people's request.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, Chief of the Provincial Prosecutors Office
\nAsrief Adam confirmed yesterday that he refused to accept the
\npolice's dossiers on Sumaji Thursday for failing to hold a
\ncomplete reconstruction.<\/p>\n
\"The dossiers are neither complete nor perfect as required,\"
\nAsrief said.<\/p>\n
The Yogyakarta Police chief, Col. Mulyono Sulaiman, said
\nThursday that the police could not do better than the Dec. 9
\nreconstruction, which Sumaji disrupted by refusing to act as
\nUdin's killer.<\/p>\n
\"If the police said they had done their best, we can initiate
\nadditional investigations as suggested by the law,\" Asrief said.
\n\"But we are not allowed to run a reconstruction.\"<\/p>\n
Sumaji, along with his son, father and lawyer, attended a mass
\nprayer at Kauman Mosque near Yogyakarta Palace yesterday, a few
\nhours after doctors confirmed his clean bill of health.<\/p>\n
A throng of devotees mobbed him after the service.<\/p>\n
\"It was my first prayer at this mosque,\" he said, adding that
\nhe was never allowed to go out for Friday prayers during his 58-
\nday detention. (21\/23\/imn\/amd)<\/p>",
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