Businessman Syamsul sought in Japan
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Baharuddin Lopa disclosed on Thursday a plan to send a senior prosecutor to Tokyo to bring home tycoon Syamsul Nursalim, a suspect in a graft case who reportedly went to Japan last week for medical treatment.
Speaking to reporters after attending a Cabinet meeting at Bina Graha presidential office, Lopa said he had asked Indonesian Ambassador to Japan Sumadi Brotodiningrat to report to him regarding Syamsul's whereabouts in Japan by Thursday evening.
Lopa blamed his predecessor Marzuki Darusman for allowing the owner of the Gajah Tunggal Group to leave the country despite a noted heart hospital in Jakarta stating that it could treat the tycoon.
"If he could be treated here, why should he go to Japan?" Lopa said.
Lopa said he would declare Syamsul a fugitive if he could not be found in Japan. However, when asked what he would do if the suspect was not found, Lopa conceded, "It would be much more difficult for us to settle his case."
Syamsul, former president of Bank Dagang Negara Indonesia (BDNI), is charged with misappropriating central bank liquidation support (BLBI), thereby causing Rp 10 trillion in state losses. The Attorney General's Office permitted the businessman to go abroad for three months for medical treatment after receiving a guarantee from his lawyer and from a hospital in Japan.
"I received a statement from a noted hospital here that Syamsul could be treated here," Lopa insisted.
Lopa, who was transferred to his new position late last week, also expressed optimism that he would be able to prosecute seven major corruption cases in a short time.
However, he refused to disclose any names or to specify cases, saying any disclosure would only complicate his mission.
"If I told you their names then they would easily escape," Lopa said.
Apparently impatient with Marzuki's slow progress, the President appointed Lopa, a former chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights, to resolve major corruption cases just before the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly in August.
"Every case must be accomplished. We cannot leave the cases unresolved," Lopa said about his mission to eradicate corruption.
On a separate occasion, Lopa also disclosed that he had ordered his subordinates to seek information on the whereabouts of business tycoon Prajogo Pangestu.
"I will check whether Prajogo Pangestu is still in Indonesia or whether he has fled," Lopa said of Prajogo, who has been questioned as a witness in a corruption case.
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung has demanded that the Attorney General's Office handle the cases of Syamsul, Prajogo and Marimutu Sinivasan.
Prajogo controls PT Barito Pacific Timber and Marimutu is the owner of textile and automotive giant Texmaco Group.
They have been accused of financial malfeasance and owe huge debts to the government.
Prajogo was allegedly involved in corruption at an industrial forest in South Sumatra.
"I will also resolve this case," Lopa said about Prajogo. (prb)