191 MPs got Banpres funds, says legislator
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As many as 191 legislators received loans worth Rp 40 million each from the off-budget Presidential Aid Fund (Banpres) during the leadership of former president Soeharto but have not repaid the money in full, a legislator said Wednesday.
House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I member Djoko Susilo, a member of Commission I's small team established to probe irregularities in the use of Banpres, urged concerned legislators to immediately return the loan.
"There are several names including Akbar Tandjung, Slamet Effendy Yusuf and Albert Hasibuan," Djoko said after quizzing former state secretary Ali Rachman and former presidential secretary Abdul Mudjib Manan over alleged irregularities in the use of Banpres.
On Tuesday, the team questioned Moerdiono and Muladi, ministers/state secretaries during the administration of Soeharto and B.J. Habibie respectively. Moerdiono told the team Tuesday that the funds were disbursed only with the approval of the President.
According to Djoko, the legislators took the loan to buy Timor cars from a company owned by Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, a favorite son of former dictator Soeharto.
Each recipient still owes up to six million rupiah, Djoko said, adding: "They have to return the money immediately."
Djoko, a legislator from the Reform Faction, also said that some business enterprises belonged to Soeharto's cronies also received funds from Banpres.
"We have identified major debtors such as the Sea Games Consortium and Tapos Plantation, which owe a combined amount of Rp 6.7 billion," he said. Tapos plantation is owned by Soeharto.
"We urge those who took money from Banpres to repay as soon as possible," Djoko said.
Banpres came under the spotlight early this year after President Megawati Soekarnoputri donated Rp 30 billion to the Indonesian military (TNI) and police to rehabilitate housing complexes for low-ranking personnel.
As the funds were not allocated in the 2002 State Budget, legislators moved to summon Megawati to explain the source of the funds.
Cabinet Secretary/State Secretary Bambang Kesowo told the House in May that the funds were taken from Banpres, but legislators found his explanation unsatisfactory, prompting them to form a small team to investigate the fund which was established by Soeharto in 1984.
Ali Rahman and Abdul Mudjib Manan denied Wednesday that they had misused the funds, arguing that the funds were spent in accordance with guidelines spelled out by Wahid's predecessor B.J. Habibie, including a standing policy allowing the state secretary to disburse Banpres funds not exceeding Rp 200 million without prior presidential approval.
"It is not true that we spent billions of Banpres funds for lunch as alleged," said Mujib Manan referring to a report submitted by Bambang to the House in May.
Mujib Manan said that when he left the presidential office in 2001, there were still around Rp 507 billion in Banpres funds, excluding Rp 100 billion placed under the vice president's office.
The team's secretary Heppy Bone Zulkarnaen said Wednesday that there were many conflicting statements made by Bambang and the two officials and that the team would summon more people.
"We plan to summon later this week former state secretary Bondan Gunawan, former presidential secretary Djohan Effendy and former Banpres assistant Bambang Sutanto," Heppy said.
Bambang Sutanto is currently serving as a staff member for Vice President Hamzah Haz.