20 queried over land scam

BOGOR (JP): Bogor prosecutors have questioned 20 witnesses in connection with the alleged embezzlement of a 24.3-hectare plot of state land on Jl. Dr Semeru by the head of a Bogor psychiatric hospital.

A member of staff at the office who asked not to be named said that the witnesses questioned were members of the hospital reform team, including Dr. Hidayat, one of the hospital's directors, and other officers from the Bogor Development Planning Board, the National Land Agency and Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN).

However, the prosecutor refused to elaborate about the questioning. "We still cannot reveal the results as we have to study the 1989/1992 documents and that is not easy," he said.

Early in July about 100 of the hospital's employees joined a reform team, staging protests over the land swindle.

The team's spokesman, Riswar, said that according to a Ministry of Health statement in 1990, the land belonging to the ministry, was given to the hospital's employees.

"In reality, however, the employees only occupy nine of the 24.3 hectares, which have been used to develop the BTN housing complex and public facilities," he said. (ind/41)