Bulog funds went to individuals: PDI Perjuangan
Bulog funds went to individuals: PDI Perjuangan
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta post, Jakarta
A senior official of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Tuesday the ongoing
investigation by party legislators had discovered that misused
State Logistics Agency (Bulog) non-budgetary funds had gone to
private institutions and individuals.
Speaking after a weekly meeting, PDI Perjuangan deputy
chairman Roy B.B. Janis said the finding dismissed earlier
allegations that most of the misappropriated Bulog funds had been
channeled to political parties to finance their 1999 election
campaigns.
"I can't reveal our team's findings in detail just yet, but
most of the money went to individuals and some foundations.. not
to finance the 1999 election campaign," Roy said.
Speculation has been rife that at least four major parties --
PDI Perjuangan, Golkar, the United Development Party and the
National Awakening Party -- received Bulog funds ahead of the
1999 election.
PDI Perjuangan, Roy said, had set up the team to investigate
the alleged misuse of Rp 2.6 trillion Bulog funds, which took
place between January 1999 and December 2000.
Roy, who also chairs the PDI Perjuangan faction in the House
of Representatives, said the nine-member team was expected to
announce the outcome of its investigation in May, when the House
resumes from recess.
Roy said the team, headed by Sukono, a member of House
Commission III for agriculture, forestry and food affairs, was
established in March and was supposed to complete its
investigations in one month.
"We decided to give them another month considering the fact
that this is a big case involving Rp 2.6 billion rupiah," Roy
said.
Party chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri was absent from the
meeting as she is on an overseas trip.
Roy said that the report does not differ much from earlier
findings of Commission III.
In a report received by former attorney general Marzuki
Darusman in 2000 by Widjanarko Puspojo -- then deputy chief of
the House Commission III and now the current Bulog chief -- as
much as Rp 2.6 trillion of Bulog's non-budgetary funds were
corrupted since 1994.
Marzuki Darusman confirmed last week that he had received
notes of meetings conducted by House Commission III to discuss
the findings.
The legislators obtained the material from the Supreme Audit
Agency (BPK) and the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).
BPKP launched a special investigation into Bulog in October
1998 following the discovery of significant discrepancies in
Bulog's non-budgetary funds.
In its 36-page report, BPKP found that Bulog had disbursed the
money for various expenditures unrelated to its mission,
including investment in firms of former president Soeharto, his
family, cronies and their foundations.
Marzuki suggested that the House of Representatives provide
all the necessary evidence to enable a formal investigation of
the misappropriated funds.
Another scandal involving Bulog plagued former president
Abdurrahman Wahid last year.
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung is standing trial for allegedly
misusing Rp 54.6 billion of Bulog funds when he was
minister/state secretary in 1999.
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta post, Jakarta
A senior official of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Tuesday the ongoing
investigation by party legislators had discovered that misused
State Logistics Agency (Bulog) non-budgetary funds had gone to
private institutions and individuals.
Speaking after a weekly meeting, PDI Perjuangan deputy
chairman Roy B.B. Janis said the finding dismissed earlier
allegations that most of the misappropriated Bulog funds had been
channeled to political parties to finance their 1999 election
campaigns.
"I can't reveal our team's findings in detail just yet, but
most of the money went to individuals and some foundations.. not
to finance the 1999 election campaign," Roy said.
Speculation has been rife that at least four major parties --
PDI Perjuangan, Golkar, the United Development Party and the
National Awakening Party -- received Bulog funds ahead of the
1999 election.
PDI Perjuangan, Roy said, had set up the team to investigate
the alleged misuse of Rp 2.6 trillion Bulog funds, which took
place between January 1999 and December 2000.
Roy, who also chairs the PDI Perjuangan faction in the House
of Representatives, said the nine-member team was expected to
announce the outcome of its investigation in May, when the House
resumes from recess.
Roy said the team, headed by Sukono, a member of House
Commission III for agriculture, forestry and food affairs, was
established in March and was supposed to complete its
investigations in one month.
"We decided to give them another month considering the fact
that this is a big case involving Rp 2.6 billion rupiah," Roy
said.
Party chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri was absent from the
meeting as she is on an overseas trip.
Roy said that the report does not differ much from earlier
findings of Commission III.
In a report received by former attorney general Marzuki
Darusman in 2000 by Widjanarko Puspojo -- then deputy chief of
the House Commission III and now the current Bulog chief -- as
much as Rp 2.6 trillion of Bulog's non-budgetary funds were
corrupted since 1994.
Marzuki Darusman confirmed last week that he had received
notes of meetings conducted by House Commission III to discuss
the findings.
The legislators obtained the material from the Supreme Audit
Agency (BPK) and the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).
BPKP launched a special investigation into Bulog in October
1998 following the discovery of significant discrepancies in
Bulog's non-budgetary funds.
In its 36-page report, BPKP found that Bulog had disbursed the
money for various expenditures unrelated to its mission,
including investment in firms of former president Soeharto, his
family, cronies and their foundations.
Marzuki suggested that the House of Representatives provide
all the necessary evidence to enable a formal investigation of
the misappropriated funds.
Another scandal involving Bulog plagued former president
Abdurrahman Wahid last year.
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung is standing trial for allegedly
misusing Rp 54.6 billion of Bulog funds when he was
minister/state secretary in 1999.