Wanted: Special prosecutors for Akbar<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An anticorruption campaigner proposed on Monday that the
\nAttorney General's Office assign special prosecutors to deal with
\nthe misappropriation of Rp 40 billion in funds from the State
\nLogistics Agency (Bulog) allegedly involving Golkar chairman
\nAkbar Tandjung.<\/p>\n
\"Special prosecutors are necessary to handle the case because
\nit involves the head of Golkar,\" said Todung Mulya Lubis on the
\nsidelines of a discussion at the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Todung was commenting on the lack of progress in handling the
\nBulog case that has implicated Akbar, former military chief Gen.
\n(ret.) Wiranto and possibly former president B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Akbar received the fund in 1999 when he was the state\/cabinet
\nsecretary. He has denied the allegation, arguing that he spent
\nthe money to buy basic commodities for the poor.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office will summon Akbar and Wiranto on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Todung added that the special prosecutor must not come from
\nthe Attorney General's Office, but should be an academician,
\nlegal practitioner, or legislator.<\/p>\n
\"Well, it's just like Kenneth Starr investigating the Monica
\nLewinsky's scandal,\" he said, referring to the sex scandal
\ninvolving former U.S. president Bill Clinton and the White House
\nintern.<\/p>\n
Todung, an executive of the Jakarta Lawyers Club, said the
\nspecial prosecutor must be given full authority to probe the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
He lamented that all cases related to Golkar in the past were
\nleft unsolved.<\/p>\n
He said he hoped the legal process would serve as a warning to
\nall politicians of the tough penalty they could receive if they
\nwere found guilty of being involved in money politics.<\/p>\n
He said that if the court of justice could prove the
\nallegations that Akbar siphoned the money for Golkar, the party
\nwould be dissolved.<\/p>\n
Separately, Akbar said he had received the summons from the
\nAttorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
He is scheduled for questioning as a witness in the case. The
\nsuspect is former Bulog chief Rahardi Ramelan.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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