Tunky grilled over Timor car<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Key associates of former president Soeharto were
\nquestioned at the Attorney General's Office on Tuesday, a day
\nbefore Soeharto himself was due to answer accusations of
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
Former minister of trade and industry Tunky Ariwibowo was
\nquestioned for more than five hours over the Timor national car
\nproject.<\/p>\n
\"In my capacity as (former) minister, I was asked to give
\ninformation on the regulations and the implementation of the
\nnational car (project),\" Tunky told reporters when he emerged
\nfrom the Attorney General's Office, even as, outside the
\ncompound, some 300 students were demonstrating in demand of the
\nprosecution of Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Also questioned on Tuesday was Hediyanto, treasurer of the
\nDharmais Foundation, one of the foundations chaired by Soeharto
\nduring his 32 years as president. Hediyanto emerged from the
\nAttorney General's Office after 30 minutes, saying that he was
\nonly asked to provide information regarding the foundation's
\nfunds and their uses.<\/p>\n
It is not clear whether Tunky and Hediyanto were questioned as
\nsuspects or witnesses, but a spokesman for the Attorney General's
\nOffice, Barman Zahir, said on Tuesday that they would face
\nfurther questioning.<\/p>\n
Barman also said that Soeharto and Mohamad \"Bob\" Hasan,
\nTunky's immediate successor as minister of industry and trade,
\nwould be questioned on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.<\/p>\n
Hasan, a close friend of Soeharto, occupied the industry and
\ntrade post for only around two months. He was removed when
\nPresident B.J. Habibie formed a new cabinet a day after he took
\nover from Soeharto, his former mentor, on May 21, 1998.<\/p>\n
Barman said that Hasan would be questioned over Soeharto's
\nfoundations. Hasan also owns shares and holds positions of
\nauthority in some of the foundations.<\/p>\n
\"BH (Bob Hasan) was summoned because, according to our data,
\nhe received a lot of funds from the foundations,\" Barman said,
\nciting Hasan's PT Nusamba as an example.<\/p>\n
Hediyanto said after his questioning that some of the
\nfoundation's money was kept in banks or invested in \"certain
\ncompanies\".<\/p>\n
\"But there was also money for small companies, for example for
\na tea plantation, so farmers could finally buy shares in the tea
\nfactory and could earn profits, so that their incomes rose,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Barman said that Soeharto would be questioned by Deputy
\nAttorney General for Special Crimes Antonius Sujata and Deputy
\nAttorney General for General Crimes Ramelan.<\/p>\n
Hasan would be questioned by the head of the center for
\nintelligence operations, Sudibyo Saleh.<\/p>\n
The national car program was launched by Soeharto in February
\n1996 when Tunky was minister of trade and industry.<\/p>\n
Under the program, a company controlled by Soeharto's youngest
\nson, Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra, was given huge tax exemptions
\nand a multi-million dollar soft loan from a consortium of 16
\nbanks, including state banks, to produce the Timor national car.<\/p>\n
According to a summons sent to Soeharto on Dec. 4, a copy of
\nwhich was obtained by The Jakarta Post, the questioning by the
\nAttorney General's Office will focus on the funds held by several
\nfoundations that Soeharto chaired and on the tax exemptions
\ngranted to his son's company under the national car program.<\/p>\n
A document issued by Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib on Monday
\nsaid that the 1996 presidential decree Soeharto issued to
\nauthorize the national car project was designed solely to promote
\nfamily interests. (byg\/imn\/21)<\/p>",
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