State prosecutors question Habibie in Hamburg<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
State prosecutors have started questioning former president B.J.
\nHabibie as a witness in the corruption case allegedly involving
\nGolkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, but doubt remains whether his
\ndeposition would drag Akbar into criminal proceedings.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors from the Attorney General's Office Manap Djubaedi
\nand Santoso questioned Habibie on Monday at the Indonesian
\nConsulate General in Hamburg, Germany starting at 10 a.m. local
\ntime (3 p.m. Jakarta time) and ending at 3 p.m. The questioning
\nwas scheduled to resume on Tuesday morning local time.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the press after the first day of questioning,
\nHabibie's lawyers Yan Djuanda Saputra and O.C. Kaligis said in
\nHamburg that their client admitted issuing a disposition
\nrecommending that former minister\/state secretary Akbar Tandjung
\nuse State Logistics Agency (Bulog) non-budgetary funds for a food
\naid program.<\/p>\n
\"Minister\/state secretary (Akbar) was asked -- and not then
\ncoordinating minister for public welfare and poverty eradication
\nHaryono Suyono, to use Bulog funds, merely for reasons of
\nefficiency so that the program could be implemented on time,\" Yan
\nquoted Habibie as telling state prosecutors, Antara reported on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
Yan said up until the time Habibie stepped down in August
\n1999, he (Habibie) had not received a report on the Rp 50 billion
\nthen Bulog chairman Rahardi Ramelan disbursed to Akbar and then
\narmed forces chief General Wiranto.<\/p>\n
\"Since there were no reports from Akbar and Wiranto, and
\neconomic indicators had improved, he (Habibie) presumed that the
\nfunds were properly spent,\" Yan said.<\/p>\n
Rahardi, who has been declared a suspect for the
\nmisappropriation of Rp 54.5 billion in Bulog funds, claimed that
\nhe gave Rp 40 billion to Akbar and another Rp 10 billion to
\nWiranto in 1999, and the remaining Rp 4.5 billion for the
\ncancellation of a land-swapping deal between Hutomo \"Tommy\"
\nMandala Putra's PT Goro Batara Sakti and Bulog.<\/p>\n
Akbar denied receiving the funds directly, but admitted
\nchanneling the Rp 40 billion to little known Roudlatul Jannah
\nFoundation. Wiranto admitted receiving the money, but denied that
\nthe money was for used his personal needs.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Akbar told the press on Tuesday that he already
\ngave a verbal report to Habibie in 1999 and that he was ready to
\nconfront the former president face to face.<\/p>\n
\"When I left my post as state secretary in May 1999, I gave a
\nverbal report to him on the Bulog money,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
He said he also mentioned to Habibie about the Roudlatul
\nJannah Foundation that received the money to buy food packages to
\nbe distributed to the poor who were most affected by the economic
\ncrisis.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/state-prosecutors-question-habibie-in-hamburg-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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