Zainie admits receiving KPU 'gift'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) deputy chairman Abdullah Zainie
\nacknowledged receiving \"a present\" from the General Elections
\nCommission (KPU) as antigraft investigators were beginning to
\ninvestigate allegations that influential people outside the
\ncommission had received misappropriated KPU funds.<\/p>\n
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned Zainie,
\na senior politician from the Golkar Party, on Wednesday for six
\nhours as it expanded its probe into the alleged flow of embezzled
\nfunds from the KPU to people outside the commission.<\/p>\n
Speaking following the questioning, Zainie said he received a
\npackage, believed to contain money, from KPU deputy treasurer M.
\nDentjik on Sept. 2, 2004, who told Zainie it was a wedding
\npresent for his child.<\/p>\n
Zainie, who at the time was the head of the House of
\nRepresentatives' State Budget Commission, said he attempted to
\nreturn the package to Dentjik, who refused to take it, saying he
\nhad been instructed by Safder Yusacc, the then secretary-general
\nof the KPU, to deliver the gift.<\/p>\n
\"I said to thank Dentjik (for the gift), but I told him at the
\ntime that it would be better for him to take back the package. I
\nalso told him that if it contained money, I did not need it
\nbecause I had received enough (gifts) from may friends,\" he was
\nquoted by Antara news agency as saying.<\/p>\n
Zainie said he telephoned Safder several times to try and
\nreturn the gift, but he declined to take it back and assured
\nZainie it was safe because he did not sign a receipt. Zainie said
\nhe then put the package in his room.<\/p>\n
Although he claimed never to have opened the package, he told
\nreporters he was sure it did not contain money. He also claimed
\nthat he eventually returned the package, though he did not say to
\nwho.<\/p>\n
The KPK is investigating a high-profile corruption case at the
\nKPU centering on the alleged collection of kickbacks from
\ncompanies that secured procurement contracts with the elections
\ncommission, as well as the marking up of election materials
\nduring last year's general election.<\/p>\n
Several KPU officials have said the elections commission
\nreceived a total of some Rp 20 billion (US$2.10 million) in
\nkickbacks from private firms, and that the money was distributed
\nto all KPU officials and members, as well as some lawmakers and
\nBPK auditors.<\/p>\n
Earlier reports said some Rp 520 million had been distributed
\nto BPK auditors and hundreds of million of rupiah to lawmakers.<\/p>\n
Zainie would be the first former lawmaker and top BPK official
\nto publicly admit to receiving money from the KPU, if the
\nmysterious package contained money, since the case broke two
\nmonths ago.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/zainie-admits-receiving-kpu-gift-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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