Akbar confident he won't stand trial

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."