Emotional Ghalib calls ICW executive 'animal'

JAKARTA (JP): The war of words between Attorney General Lt. Gen. Andi M. Ghalib and Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) executive Teten Masduki turned from trading accusations on Wednesday to trading insults, with Ghalib calling his adversary "an animal".

"I have not committed anything, and he already has accused me of corruption, bribery. Is Saudara (brother) Teten a human being or an animal?" an emotional Ghalib said before attending a Cabinet meeting on economic affairs at Bina Graha presidential office.

Ghalib vowed to restore his dignity as a Bugis man, saying he would not rest easy even if he was sacked from the Cabinet as a result of the allegations made against him.

"I will chase him all the way to his grave," he said with a red face.

Ghalib, also chairman of the Indonesian Wrestling Association (PGSI), attracted other ministers attention at the Cabinet meeting, as he desperately attempted to convince them of his innocence.

Minister of Security and Defense/Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto teased Ghalib, while Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Marzuki Usman challenged him to settle his dispute with ICW on a wrestling mattress.

"How poor you are Ghalib. Look, your trousers have now become too big, as you become slimmer, and it is caused by press reports," Wiranto told Ghalib.

Ghalib said the data supplied to Teten was an act of retaliation for his strong commitment and all-out efforts to eradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism (locally known as KKN) in the country.

He said the perpetrators were the victims of his "noble" mission.

"This group of people begrudge me because of my actions," he claimed, but refused to identify the individuals concerned.

The attorney general branded Teten a coward, saying the ICW executive had failed to consult with him prior to the public accusation regarding the deposit of Rp 1.8 billion in his bank accounts from several parties, including two tycoons.

"He violated the presumption of innocence. He slandered, he leaked many secrets... I am an attorney general, and still he treats me like this, let alone you," he said to journalists.

On Tuesday, Teten, the coordinator of the ICW executive body demanded President B.J. Habibie fire Ghalib from his post.

Teten told a discussion forum in the West Java capital of Bandung on Wednesday that ICW would do its best to meet Habibie on Thursday to push the President to immediately dismiss Ghalib and allow authorities to investigate the alleged crime.

Teten alleged the attorney general collected from several parties not less than Rp 1.8 billion in deposits made to his private account and his wife Murniati's account. The couple have separate accounts at Bank Lippo.

Teten said it was impossible for Ghalib to have accumulated the substantial savings, because his salary as a Cabinet member was only about Rp 7.5 million per month.

Ghalib has acknowledged receiving money transfers worth Rp 450 million from tycoons The Nin King and Prajogo Pangestu, at a time when the two businessmen were being questioned by Ghalib's office for suspected financial misdeeds. He said PGSI treasurer Tahir, the son-in-law of Lippo Group owner Mochtar Riady, was responsible for the fund raising.

On Wednesday, the attorney general insisted he was innocent and would not resign from his current post.

"I will not resign, except when I am discharged. I am still working earnestly... even though I have been slandered and scolded."

Teten disclosed the alleged bank account transfers on Ghalib's 53rd birthday last Thursday, when the attorney general, accompanied by Minister of Justice Muladi, were in Switzerland and Austria searching for former president Soeharto's bank accounts. Their mission was not successful.

Wednesday's incident was the second embarrassing occasion for Ghalib at a Cabinet meeting.

In November he had to report to the President the presentation of a chicken from students. Protesters said they were drawing attention to Ghalib's foot dragging over investigations into Soeharto's wealth. Ghalib told the President he had fried the chicken.

"There is a political conspiracy to destroy my reputation as an official who has worked all-out to combat KKN," Ghalib claimed.

Muladi, however, said he did not agree with Ghalib's conspiracy theory. He implied Ghalib should undertake self- introspection.

"It must be proved that it is really a conspiracy," he said.

The minister said it was not easy for him to comment about one of his colleagues in the Cabinet. "I do not want to judge my own friend. It is difficult."

Ghalib also blasted recent reports by Tempo news weekly and Rakyat Merdeka. Tempo described him as greedy and his wife as a big spender. Ghalib reportedly spent US$43,000 in March on a shopping expedition in Washington. The weekly reported that his wife is fond of expensive jewelry.

Ghalib denied the allegation, but praised his wife's taste, which he described as fashionable.

"Whatever she wears, she always looks attractive," Ghalib said. (prb/43)