Suwondo testifies at House on his role in Buloggate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Alip Agung Suwondo, the main suspect in the
\nalleged misuse of Rp 35 billion from the State Logistics Agency
\n(Bulog) foundation Yanatera, testified on Friday before the House
\nof Representatives' special committee probing the case.<\/p>\n
No words, however, came out of his mouth as he left the
\nsession after four hours of questioning, to the disappointment of
\nnewsmen who had patiently waited outside the meeting room.<\/p>\n
None of the committee members were willing either to comment
\non whether Suwondo responded to allegations that President
\nAbdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid knew about the scandal.<\/p>\n
\"My client could not answer all questions during the session
\nbecause he is not in good health. Besides we are not allowed to
\nreveal the content of the questioning,\" Suwondo's lawyer Denny
\nAzani Latief said.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar Chamsyah, who chairs the special committee, hailed
\nSuwondo for giving important testimony which supports that of
\nother witnesses.<\/p>\n
\"The special committee is satisfied in principle with
\nSuwondo's testimony, the result of which 98 percent of our
\ninvestigation on Buloggate has been completed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that during the meeting, Suwondo frequently said \"I
\nforget\" to questions about happenings surrounding the scandal but
\ndid not forget all things concerning money.<\/p>\n
\"Please, interpret for yourself this statement but I can't
\nreveal the meeting's substance to anyone, including the press.
\nThe most important thing is that you should not start something
\nwith a massage,\" he said, referring to Suwondo's earlier job as
\nAbdurrahman's masseur.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said tension marred the meeting with Suwondo's lawyer
\nfrequently interrupted the questioning.<\/p>\n
Alvin Lie, deputy chairman of the special committee, and
\nJulius Usman, a committee member, walked out of the meeting in
\nprotest of the wave of interruptions.<\/p>\n
Other committee members who requested for anonymity said that
\nSuwondo testified that he never asked Sapuan, former Bulog deputy
\nchief, to disburse the funds.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't ask Sapuan to disburse the funds. He offered the
\nfunds and, then, I received them,\" one of the sources quoted
\nSuwondo as saying.<\/p>\n
The source said Suwondo was referring to explanations which
\nwere given to the special committee by former trade and industry
\nminister Yusuf Kalla, former National Police chief Gen.
\nRusdihardjo and Baharuddin Lopa, Indonesian ambassador to Saudi
\nArabia. The witnesses testified the President was allegedly in
\nthe scandal.<\/p>\n
\"A part of Suwondo's answers to the committee's questions
\nsupport other witnesses' testimony,\" said another source.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said the House had sent a letter to the President
\nasking him to fulfill its summons on Friday night or next Monday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction at the
\nHouse attacked the 50-member special committee which it said was
\ntoo arrogant in carrying out the investigation.<\/p>\n
\"The special committee is too arrogant because it assumes the
\nPresident is involved in the scandals,\" Taufikurrahman Saleh,
\nchairman of the PKB faction said in a press conference on Friday.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is the party's chief patron. (rms)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/suwondo-testifies-at-house-on-his-role-in-buloggate-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }