Battle of wits continues over Wiranto's 1998 role
Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta
A former aide to Gen. (ret) Wiranto alleged on Wednesday that he had been offered billions of rupiah and an ambassadorial post in order to cancel his plan to publish a book detailing Wiranto's role in the deployment of the Pamswakarsa militia in 1998.
"Wiranto's men came to offer me billions of rupiah and an ambassadorial post in Britain if I canceled the launching of the book," former Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Maj. Gen. Kivlan Zen told a press conference here.
However, Wiranto's top campaign strategist, Lt. Gen. (ret) Suaidi Marasabessy, challenged Kivlan to disclose the names of the men who attempted to bribe him.
"If he is telling the truth, why doesn't he disclose the names of our men who tried to bribe him with money and a posting? He's engaging here in politicking, isn't he?," Suaidi told The Jakarta Post by phone.
Kivlan stressed that the launching of the book would go ahead next week.
"I will launch the book next Thursday and won't be intimidated even if Wiranto threatens to sue me for libel. Wiranto is lying to the public when he says he is clear in the clear regarding the establishment of the Pamswakarsa ... it was based on his order that I went about setting up this civilian militia," Kivlan said.
Wiranto, who is contesting the presidential election for the Golkar Party, has been linked to a number of human rights crimes when he was Indonesian Military (TNI) chief.
"We are preparing legal efforts to settle the dispute. It is just a matter of time," Marasabessy said.
According to Kivlan, his book entitled Hubungan Integrasi TNI- AD dan Integrasi Bangsa Indonesia (Relationship between the Indonesian Army and Indonesian National Integration) states that a clear and unambiguous order was issued by Wiranto to Kivlan to hire thousands of youths to block student protesters from disrupting the Extraordinary Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in November 1998.
Clashes erupted between the civilian militia, who were armed with sharpened bamboos, and the students, which claimed at least 10 lives on both sides.
The MPR session endorsed the appointment of B.J. Habibie as president, replacing Soeharto, who had stepped down in disgrace six months earlier.
Wiranto himself was able to secure his position as military chief, while Kivlan, who says he had been promised a regional military command, was moved to a desk job.
To make things worse, Kivlan says he was left owing around Rp 5.4 billion (US$5.8 million) as Wiranto allegedly asked him to fund the secret operation out his own pocket, promising to reimburse him afterwards.
"I challenge him to sue me," Kivlan said.