Theo questioned about graft<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Former chief of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Theo F.
\nToemion underwent lengthy questioning at the office of the
\nCorruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday over alleged
\ncorruption in the implementation of an investment promotion
\nprogram in 2003.<\/p>\n
KPK investigators also searched Theo's house at Jl. Adhyaksa
\nVI No. 8, Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, for material evidence.
\nState news agency Antara said that KPK investigators arrived at
\nhis spacious residence, located on a 2,000 square meter plot of
\nland, at around 3 p.m. after questioning Theo for several hours.<\/p>\n
"Besides confiscating the land certificate, Theo also showed
\nKPK investigators his bank account records," lawyer Sugeng Teguh
\nSantoso told reporters after the 45-minute search, during which
\nboth Theo and his lawyer were present.<\/p>\n
Sugeng said that 49-year-old Theo bought the house before he
\ntook the top BKPM post.<\/p>\n
Theo later returned to the KPK headquarters at about 5 p.m. to
\nenable investigators to resume questioning him. Sugeng denied
\nrumors that the KPK had detained Theo, a former lawmaker from the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).<\/p>\n
Theo, a currency-analyst-turned-politician, has been accused
\nof being involved in corruption when he led the Indonesian
\nInvestment Year program in 2003, which he claimed was aimed at
\nluring badly needed foreign investment following the Bali bombing
\nin 2002.<\/p>\n
This is the latest high-profile graft case to be handled by
\nthe KPK after the current administration intensified efforts to
\ncurb rampant corruption in the country.<\/p>\n
Theo assumed the top post at the BKPM in 2001 when PDI-P
\nleader Megawati Soekarnoputri was the country's vice president,
\nbut his five-year mandate was abruptly ended in May 2005
\nfollowing a much-criticized incident in which he was accused of
\nassaulting a 14-year-old student referee and scuffling with
\nforeign residents at the Jakarta International School (JIS)
\nduring a basketball competition in which Theo's seven-year-old
\nson was playing on April 17. Theo is still a suspect in the case.<\/p>\n
Theo explained that the budget for the 2003 investment
\npromotion program was disbursed by the government in April 2003,
\nwhile the promotion team had to start the campaign in January,
\nwhich included several overseas trips to Singapore, London and
\nthe U.S., as well as other destinations.<\/p>\n
"The investment program was carried out after the 2002 Bali
\nbombing. It was decided in a Cabinet meeting in November 2002
\nthat 2003 would be an investment year," he said.<\/p>\n
He denied the corruption charges. "I entered the BKPM not as
\nbureaucrat but as a professional who sometimes had to make quick
\ndecisions. There were so many presidential decrees that had to be
\nconsidered, but the important thing was that the mission could be
\naccomplished."<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the KPK has requested the immigration office impose
\na travel ban on Theo, who had a stint at Bank Indonesia's
\noverseas offices where he learned about currency trading and how
\nthe financial market works, which later led to him to resign from
\nthe central bank and jump into currency trading.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/theo-questioned-about-graft-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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