Akbar, Wiranto grilled over alleged graft

Akbar, Wiranto grilled over alleged graft

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Akbar Tandjung
denied on Wednesday allegations of misusing Rp 40 billion of the
non-budgetary funds belonging to the State Logistics Agency
(Bulog) to finance his Golkar Party's campaign in 1999.

Akbar, along with former military chief Gen. (ret.) Wiranto,
were questioned as witnesses at the Attorney General's Office in
connection with the misuse of Rp 54.6 billion in funds disbursed
from Bulog in 1999.

The prime suspect in the scandal, former Bulog chief Rahardi
Ramelan, revealed that Rp 40 billion of that money went to Akbar,
while another Rp 10 billion went to the Ministry of Defense and
Security, which was presided over by Wiranto.

The remaining Rp 4.6 billion went to PT Goro Batara Sakti,
which was set up by former president Soeharto's son Hutomo
"Tommy" Mandala Putra, in connection with a land deal.

During the questioning, Akbar claimed that all the money was
spent to buy basic commodities for the poor hit by the severe
economic crisis in 1999.

He said the humanitarian project was carried out by a
foundation recommended by former coordinating minister of social
welfare and poverty eradication Haryono Suyono.

"The project was handled by the Raodahtul Jannah Islamic
Foundation, which received the first batch of the money, some Rp
20 billion on March 2, 1999, and the second -- another Rp 20
billion -- on April 20, 1999.

"The foundation, which is chaired by Dadang Iskandar,
initially sent a proposal to the coordinating minister on Jan.
15, who later forwarded it to me in my capacity as the
state/Cabinet secretary at that time with a note stating
president B.J. Habibie's knowledge," he told a media briefing
after a four-hour questioning session which ended at around 6:30
p.m.

Dadang's foundation is located in the DPR housing complex at
Komplek DPR II No.6, Batu Sari, Kebun Jeruk in West Jakarta.

The questioning was conducted by a seven-member team of state
prosecutors led by Amir Hasan Ketaren.

Akbar had earlier refused to reveal the name of the foundation
for fear of misspelling the title last week when the case
erupted.

Akbar said he would speak with Haryono Suyono, who testified
to state prosecutors last week that he didn't name or give
recommendations of any foundations to carry out the government's
project.

Akbar's arrival at the Attorney General's Office was marred by
an ugly clash between reporters and several men clad in the green
uniforms of the Unity Development Party (PPP)'s youth wing,
Ka'bah Youth Movement (GPK).

GPK, however, hastily made a statement, clarifying that those
men were there on their own behalf. Akbar's lawyer Ruhut
Sitompul, Golkar member Ferry Mursyidan Baldan and Akbar himself,
told the press that the men were neither recognized nor invited.

The clash erupted when the men blocked reporters from taking
photographs.

One of the green-clad men was clearly seen kissing Akbar's
hand as he stepped out of his car.

Earlier in the day, Wiranto claimed that none of the money was
used for his personal interests nor was it used to finance the
establishment of a civilian militia, popularly called
Pamswakarsa.

"The money was used to finance the government's efforts to
secure democracy. Most of it was used for soldiers and
policemen's welfare," he said after his 90-minute interrogation
by prosecutors.

He revealed that part of the money also went to the Commission
on Peace and Stability, which was assigned to oversee the 1999 UN
administered-ballot in East Timor.

Both Akbar and Wiranto pointed out that the disbursement of
the money was to alleviate Habibie's concerns for the nation
which was in an unstable political and economic condition at that
time.

"The president promised to consider ways to strengthen the
efforts in increasing the soldiers' welfare and in conditioning
the society so they can make the reform agenda a success,"
Wiranto added.