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