Feisal urges Sofjan to stay in the country

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung said yesterday that while business tycoon Sofjan Wanandi was not barred from traveling overseas, he should stay in the country in case he is needed for further questioning.

"As a good citizen, he should stay in Indonesia. We've already questioned him but we have not accused him (of any crime)," Feisal told reporters before a cabinet meeting at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Sofjan's presence might be needed at anytime in connection with the ongoing police investigation into last month's bombing in Jakarta allegedly by the Democratic People's Party (PRD), he added.

The businessman, who has been questioned once, is believed to have flown to Australia last week, with close friends saying that he went to watch the Australia Open tennis championships. It was not clear yesterday whether he had returned.

Sources close to Sofjan said yesterday that he would return to Jakarta this weekend and that he was summoned as a witness in the questioning of a bombing suspect next Tuesday.

Sofjan, the chairman of the diversified Gemala business group, has denied any knowledge of or links to the PRD.

A homemade bomb exploded at an apartment in Tanah Tinggi district on Jan. 18.

The military has arrested one person it said was a member of the outlawed PRD. The investigation expanded to include Sofjan after the military found documents in the apartment mentioning him and his brother, Jusuf Wanandi, as potential PRD financiers.

By law, the military and police could ask the Immigration Office to bar anyone from leaving the country for national security reasons or if the person is under investigation.

The spokesman at the Directorate General of Immigration, M.A. Ghani, said his office had already drafted a letter banning Sofjan when he left the country on Jan. 27, but in the absence of any formal request from the military or the police, he was allowed to go.

Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, dismissed widespread rumors yesterday that the PRD bombing investigation was being expanded to include Gen. (ret.) L.B. Moerdani, the former Minister of Defense and ABRI chief.

It was premature to make such a conclusion, Sjafrie said. "Pak Benny's name was not mentioned in any document or evidence found at the explosion site," he said.

Benny is the nickname of Moerdani who is often linked with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies run by Jusuf Wanandi.

The spokesman for the Jakarta Military Command, Lt. Col. Djazairi Nachrowi, also denied rumors that Sjafrie had gone to see Moerdani at the latter's home on Tuesday. "Pak Sjafrie spent the whole afternoon with me, inspecting Jakarta's district military commands," he said.

Nachrowi said the dossier on Sofjan was now with the Jakarta Police department.

Three cabinet ministers who know Sofjan personally said yesterday they did not believe he would betray the country or the government.

State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, State Minister of Public Housing Akbar Tandjung and Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusudo were all student leaders in the 1960s along with Sofjan.

"He took part in establishing the New Order," Akbar said, recalling the student demonstrations of 1966 that ushered in the New Order administration of President Soeharto.

"There is not a shred of doubt about his love for the New Order," he remarked.

Siswono doubted Sofjan would flee the country. "Sofjan is of high integrity. I think his overseas trip has nothing to do with the case."

Sarwono said he did not believe Sofjan would ever finance PRD activities, quipping: "He's too stingy to do it." (prb/imn/jun)