Azwar denies probe into Revolution Fund

JAKARTA (JP): A senior cabinet minister denied yesterday that President Soeharto had ordered him to investigate whether a Revolution Fund, reportedly worth up to US$16 billion, existed.

After meeting Soeharto at Merdeka Palace, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas said that a recent presidential decree had only ordered him to investigate claims that the state had the right to a large amount of undocumented wealth.

"The presidential decree bears no relation at all with the Revolution Fund," Azwar said.

Speculation about the fund was raised in 1985 by Suhardiman, the chairman of the Golkar-affiliated organization SOKSI.

First president Sukarno reportedly raised the fund to finance projects including the war to recapture West Irian (now Irian Jaya) and the conflict against Malaysia. The money came from special taxes on state enterprises, and some of it was deposited abroad.

Estimates of the fund vary between US$135 million and US$16 billion.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said in August 1995 that the government had ended its investigation into the Revolution Fund because the whereabouts of the money was unknown.

"The President told me to report the results of my investigation directly to him and not to other people," Azwar said.

In Presidential decree No 4/1997 issued April 15, Soeharto ordered Azwar to "to confirm the accuracy of reports that some state wealth is not yet controlled by the government".

"I still cannot give you any answers, because the reports are still unclear," Azwar said after reporters asked about the aim of his investigation.

He said he had to submit his report to the President before the year's end.

Earlier reports said that Azwar had reported to the President about the possible existence of the fund. The details of his report are unknown. (06)