Ghalib did not lie about phone tapping: Baramuli

JAKARTA (JP): Presidential advisor A.A. Baramuli testified on Wednesday that Attorney General A.M. Ghalib never denied that the tapped conversation he had with President B.J. Habibie ever took place.

Baramuli's remark to the media was an indirect response to the growing public resentment caused by Ghalib's earlier denial, through his spokesman, Soehandoyo, that the voice in the recording was his. Habibie himself indirectly admitted to having the conversation, accusing whoever was responsible for the tapping of committing an intellectual crime and violating his rights.

"He (Ghalib) did not deny his conversation with the President. What he said was the conversation was not exactly like that, he said that he did not remember all (of the conversation) as (they both talked about many things)," Baramuli was quoted by Antara as saying after meeting Habibie at the State Palace.

The Panji Masyarakat weekly last week ran a cover story carrying the transcript of a phone conversation said to be between Habibie and Ghalib.

In the transcript, the two discussed the ongoing investigation into former president Soeharto as well as possible legal action against two businessmen critical of the Habibie government.

The transcript indicated that Habibie and Ghalib were trying to make the probe into Soeharto easier on the ousted strongman, who was also Habibie's mentor.

Shortly after the scandal erupted, Soehandoyo quoted Ghalib as saying the voice on the tape was not his. Habibie's first response was to instruct Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Wiranto to investigate the illegal recording.

Meanwhile, leading human rights lawyers lashed out on Wednesday at the questioning of a number of journalists as part of the investigation into the phone tapping.

"Police should summon the closest aides of Habibie, like Dewi Fortuna Anwar and Akbar Tandjung, instead of the chief editors of the media," lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis was quoted as saying by Antara.

He was referring to the presidential spokeswoman and the minister/state secretary.

Todung demanded that the questioning of journalists be halted.

Hendardi of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) said there was no legal basis for the questioning of journalists.

"If the questioning is part of the investigation into the alleged tapping of the phone conversation between those two high- ranking officials, there is so far no legal basis which stipulates that the phone-tapping is a criminal offense," Hendardi said in a statement.

Hendardi said the questioning had violated human rights and was done only to serve political interests.

Hendardi also said the questioning of journalists should be terminated. He called on Habibie to publicly clarify the matter.

Baramuli, head of the Supreme Advisory Council, claimed earlier this week that only intelligence agents would have the capability to tap a presidential phone conversation. He said it was "obviously an intelligence game".

However, Wiranto dismissed on Tuesday suggestions that military intelligence personnel were behind the tapping.

Meanwhile, Antara quoted a number of legislators as saying on Wednesday that the case should be brought to trial.

"I agree the case should be brought to court ... to avoid confusion among the people," Alief Meilana from Golkar said.

Veteran journalist Parni Hadi also made the same suggestion.

However, he said the case might take considerable time to solve because of weaknesses in law enforcement.

"But to avoid public confusion, the case needs to be brought to court," he said after attending a hearing with the House Commission I for defense and security, foreign affairs, information, and legal affairs.

Another Golkar legislator, Ridwan Sani, agreed. "Rather than spreading it by word of mouth, it would be better to take the case to court," Ridwan said. (byg)