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.