Akbar denies Golkar mixed up in bank scandal
Akbar denies Golkar mixed up in bank scandal
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Party chief Akbar Tandjung denied
allegations on Thursday his party was involved in the Bank Bali
scandal.
He conceded the party received some Rp 15 billion (US$2.2
million) from businessman M. Manimaren but contended the money
was a loan and not a political contribution.
"We are willing to explain to all related parties, especially
the National Police and Attorney General's Office, that the funds
we received from Manimaren, as described in the unabridged
PricewaterhouseCoopers audit, was a loan from Manimaren," Akbar
said.
He said Golkar Party accepted the loan from Manimaren because
it was in need of funding for its activities and was awaiting
donations from other sources.
"We've already started to return the loan in installments with
the help of Golkar cadres, sympathizers and donors. I don't know
the exact amount, but the party's treasurer knows it in detail,"
he said.
Coincidentally, Manimaren also holds the post of Golkar
treasurer.
Akbar stressed that he instructed the office of Golkar's
treasurer to follow all legal procedures in raising funds for the
party.
"We can prove that we are innocent," he said, adding that all
donations to the party came from legal sources and did not
violate the maximum threshold for donations of Rp 150 million per
company and Rp 15 million per person.
"If detailed information is needed, Golkar's treasurer is
ready to give further information," he said.
Akbar also denied using the disputed funds during the June 7
general election. "We reported our budget for the June general
election to the General Elections Committee."
The 1999 Law on General Elections allows the Supreme Court to
bar parties found guilty of violating funding restrictions from
the 2004 general election.
According to the PricewaterhouseCoopers audit, Arung Gauk
Jarre, an associate of former state minister of the empowerment
of state enterprises Tanri Abeng, transferred Rp 15 billion to
Golkar on June 2, 1999.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Workers Cooperative Alliance
(Inkopkar) also denied allegations chairman Agus Sudono was
involved in the banking scandal, saying the alliance received a
donation of Rp 1.5 billion from Manimaren for research and
development.
Manimaren was acting in his capacity as president of garment
company PT Ungaran Garment.
"The company provided the funds to Inkopkar based on an
agreement between the two institutions to finance its research
and to promote smaller companies," Inkopkar spokesman Andang
Kusbandriyo said in a statement to The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Andang said Manimaren, in his capacity as the president of the
garment company, issued a statement asserting the funds were not
linked to the Bank Bali scandal.
"Manimaren released an official statement to Inkopkar on Sept.
29, 1999 confirming this," he said.
According to the PricewaterhouseCoopers audit, Manimaren
transferred Rp 1.5 billion to Sudono between June 3 and June 9,
1999. Sudono then transferred Rp 1 billion to his wife Siti
Hamidah's bank account, while the remaining Rp 500 million was
placed in a bank time deposit. (04/rms)