Akbar confident he won't stand trial

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Public outrage and intense media scrutiny into the misuse of more than Rp 50 billion of State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds is yet to send a chill down House Speaker Akbar Tandjung's spine.

Akbar calmly said he saw no reason for the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to declare him a suspect in the alleged diversion of Rp 40 billion of the funds from Bulog to the Golkar Party he chairs.

"What will be the reason to declare me a suspect?" Akbar told reporters after meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Sunday.

His statement came after prosecutors said they still needed more time to re-examine evidence and determine Akbar's role.

Meanwhile, pro-democracy activists urge the Attorney General's Office on Wednesday to disclose public deception in connection with the inquiry on the misappropriation of the Rp 40 billion funds.

"Public fraud in the reform era will get unveiled. People can't be deceived any longer," said activist Nuku Soleiman.

Nuku was referring to the inconsistencies of Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung and Dadang Sukandar, chairman of the Raudlatul Jannah foundation handling a food program funded with the Bulog money, in the session of inquiry.

The activists also expected that the revelation of the financial scam should pave the way for the disclosure of other corrupt practices.

Nuku also appeals fellow activists to observe and give support to a plan from legislators to form an inquiry team on January next year.

Akbar is officially a witness in the graft case. The former chief of Bulog, Rahardi Ramelan, has been declared a suspect.

The alleged involvement of Akbar in this case was first disclosed by Rahardi who told the press that he had given Rp 40 billion to Akbar and Rp 10 billion to Wiranto, the then military chief in 1999.

The remaining Rp 4.6 billion was spent as the result of the cancellation of a land-swap deal between Bulog and PT Goro Batara Sakti, a retail chain owned by Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra.

Bulog's former deputy chief of finance Achmad Ruskandar has been declared a suspect in the misuse of the Rp 4.6 billion.

It was revealed later that Akbar, the then minister/state secretary, had spent the fund to finance the food-for-the-poor project in 1999.

Akbar said that he would be ready to meet AGO officials for further questioning. "If there is something that needs clarification, I will be ready."