Aris Juanedi denies knowledge fo Rp 35m Bulog fund

JAKARTA (JP): A businessman admitted to having received a Rp 5 billion cheque from President Abdurrahman Wahid's masseur Suwondo but said he had no idea if the money was part of the scandalous Rp 35 billion fund of the National Logistics Agency (Bulog).

Aris Junaedi, a South Jakarta-based businessman, told police during a two-hour questioning by City Police detectives on Thursday that Suwondo claimed he got the money from a foreign loan.

"Aris has known Suwondo for 10 years and they have been borrowing and lending money to each other," Jakarta Police chief of detectives Col. Alex Bambang Riatmojo told reporters.

Flanked by Alex, Aris refused to speak to reporters, saying that he was very disappointed with the media after being reported by a television station to have been on the police's wanted list for disappearing.

"I was never at large, (the report) has hurt me and my family," Aris said but promised to talk with journalists some other time.

Officer Alex, quoting Aris' testimony during the police questioning, said that Suwondo offered to lend Aris the money upon hearing that Aris was going into a wood business joint- venture with Central Java-based businesswoman, Siti Farika.

Aris finally agreed to accept Suwondo's offer to borrow Rp 5 billion for the project with Farika, the officer said.

"After the fund was being widely talked about (as part of the controversial Bulog scam), Aris tried to get to Suwondo for confirmation," Alex said.

But Aris said he had so far failed to reach Suwondo, the officer explained.

Alex also said that Aris' statement would still have to be cross checked with Suwondo, who is still at large.

Escorted by Alex to the questioning room, Aris who had never been mentioned in the scandal until Siti told police that she got the Rp 5 billion cheque from him, was almost unnoticed by reporters who had been eagerly awaiting his arrival.

Siti was questioned by police on Wednesday over the Bulog scam.

Siti had earlier cashed the Rp 5 billion Bank Bukopin cheque 530601 at the Sudirman office of the BCA bank and later transferred the amount to her Bank BCA account in Semarang, Central Java.

On Thursday, Siti returned the money to the fund's source of origin, the Bulog workers foundation (Yanatera), via the Jakarta Police as she promised earlier.

Siti, who kept smiling broadly during the hand-over of the fund, said that she did not feel sorry to return the money.

"I don't want troubled money in (my) business, if I do so (my) business will ...," said Siti without completing her sentence but giggling instead.

Siti occasionally held the pile of Rp 50,000 banknotes when photographers told her to do so.

Upon the arrival of Siti at the Jakarta Police headquarters, a man -- under the escort of police officers -- was seen carrying a heavy bag said to be containing returned money from the Bulog scam.

According to Alex, there were still many bags of money in the vehicle.

"There's no need to bring all the money to our office, since there are too many mice, real ones, here at my office," he said, jokingly.

Alex explained that from the Rp 5 billion returned to Yanatera, the police kept Rp 1 million as evidence, which would be returned to Yanatera later.

Siti, daughter of a former official at the 30-million strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization, which was formerly chaired by President Abdurrahman, denied that she got the fund because of her acquaintance with the President.

"Our relationship is only like a kyai to a santri (a teacher to a student)... because I am a member of NU," Siti said.

By Thursday, Rp 15 billion of the Rp 35 billion fund embezzled from Yanatera had been returned to the foundation. The first Rp 10 billion had been returned by Suwondo through his wife, Teti Nursetiati.

The remaining Rp 20 billion comprises of Rp 15 billion, which went to a bank account of Suko Sudarso, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI Perjuangan) research and development department head; and Rp 5 billion, said to be kept by Leo Purnomo, a staff member at Air Wagon (AWAIR) air freight.

National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo said on Wednesday that his men would be able to collect at least Rp 30 billion of the fund within the week. (08)