Bustanil facing corruption case

Bustanil facing corruption case

JAKARTA: After being questioned for almost nine hours, the former
head of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Bustanil Arifin, called
it quits and asked police to postpone his questioning on Tuesday
because he was too sick to continue the investigation, his lawyer
said.

Bustanil's request was granted by the officers and will
continue Wednesday.

Dewi Kani, a lawyer representing Bustanil, one of former
president Soeharto's close aides, told reporters at the Jakarta
Police headquarters that her client was old and often forgot
things in the past.

The lawyer argued that Bustanil was too weak and easily got
tired due to his recent heart surgery and diabetes.

"Pak Bustanil is too old, he is often sick and often forgets
things," Dewi claimed. "Medical tests also show that his brain
ability is decreasing."

Bustanil was questioned as a suspect in relation to a police
investigation in a case involving an inordinate price mark-up for
land purchase in 1990 at the Cooperative Ministry.

At that time, Bulog disbursed Rp 10 billion -- approved by
Bustanil -- for the cooperative to buy a plot of land in
Kuningan, South Jakarta with a market price of Rp 1.8 billion.
The land belonged to the second eldest son of former president
Soeharto, Bambang Trihatmodjo.

In addition to Bustanil, former cooperative minister Subiyakto
Tjakrawerdaya has also been questioned in the case. --JP