Bukaka implicated in BNI scandal
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla revealed on Monday that PT Bukaka Marga Utama received Rp 4.5 billion (US$530,128) from a person involved in the Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) scandal.
However, he was quick to add that he had sold his shares in the company in 1997, leaving Gorontalo Governor Fadel Muhammad as sole owner of the firm.
"There is a person who bought the right to build a toll road in Sukabumi from Bukaka four months ago. This project belonged to Fadel Muhammad and PT Jasa Marga," said Kalla, adding that Bukaka did not know where the money came from.
Kalla's revelation constituted the first confirmation ever of speculations that part of the Rp 1.7 trillion BNI paid for 41 bogus letters of credit issued by some questionable overseas banks went to companies other than those intended.
His statement, however, fell short of confirming rampant rumors that part of the money also landed in the hands of three presidential candidates from Golkar.
Fadel, former owner of business conglomerate Bukaka Group, is still one of the treasurers of Golkar, the political bandwagon of former president Soeharto. Kalla, on the other hand, is one of the seven presidential candidates of Golkar.
Two other candidates, Gen. (ret) Wiranto and Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, previously denied suggestions that the party's presidential candidates had received money from BNI scandal suspects.
According to Kalla, the transaction was a routine business deal.
The project mentioned was a 53.5-kilometer toll road linking Ciawi with Sukabumi, both in West Java, with a total value of Rp 850.2 billion. In that project, Bukaka owned an 80 percent shareholding, with the remainder belonging to state-owned PT Jasa Marga.
Meanwhile, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar vowed on Monday that his investigators would question everyone believed to be connected with the flow of BNI money.
"We shall summon every relevant actor connected to the scandal, including those who have received money from the main suspects," said Da'i.
National Police economic crimes division director Brig. Gen. Samuel Ismoko said he would interrogate all the recipients of the money, including politicians if necessary.
"If possible, we shall ask politicians suspected of having received the money. However, we have not gone that far," said Samuel. He added that his division had questioned 22 witnesses in the case, including two foreign banks, ABN Amro and Standard Chartered.
Police have held eight suspects in custody to intensively interrogate them following this high-profile scandal. They are the head of BNI Kebayoran Baru branch, Koesadiyono, and BNI Foreign Customer Division head Edy Santoso, the owner of PT Bassomasindo, Jeffry Basso, the director of PT Pan Kifros, Aprilla Widharta, Judhi Basso of PT Bassamindo, the director of PT Gramarindo Mega Indonesia, Olla Abdullah Agam, the director of PT Metrantara, Richard Kountul and the director of PT Magnetique Usaha Esa Indonesia, Adrian Lumowa.
Meanwhile, State Minister of State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi said on Monday that the National Police and the Attorney General's Office should investigate seriously the financial scam at BNI because the case was currently linked to other "issues."
"We shall ask the police and prosecutors to seriously investigate the case so that it can be resolved comprehensively," said Laksamana on the sidelines of a ceremony to mark the listing of state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia on the Jakarta Stock Exchange.
He said that due to the lack of internal control, several BNI directors would be dismissed because of their incompetence in preventing the scam.