Ghalib to resign from wrestling body
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Lt. Gen. Andi M. Ghalib said on Monday he would resign as chairman of the Indonesian Wrestling Association (PGSI), following allegations he had abused his position to collect donations from the public, including two tycoons.
The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) disclosed on Ghalib's 53rd birthday last Thursday that a total of Rp 450 million (US$57,000) was transferred to Ghalib's account by businessmen The Nin King and Prajogo in April.
Ghalib called the allegation "unforgivable slander", but also said "wrestling gives me a headache".
"It's better for me to resign," he said at a joint media conference with Minister of Justice Muladi, after meeting with President B.J. Habibie at the latter's official residence in Patra Kuningan, South Jakarta.
"Please settle it in accordance with the law," Muladi quoted Habibie as advising Ghalib.
Ghalib said his notice had been triggered by a statement made by Muladi at the media conference that to avoid a conflict of interest Cabinet ministers should not chair sports organizations.
Ghalib said the money was never intended for his own interests, and was wholly set aside for funding wrestling sports.
"The money is still there and has not been used at all," he said.
On Thursday, ICW coordinator Teten Masduki alleged Rp 1.8 billion was transferred to accounts in the name of Ghalib and his wife, Andi Murniati. Teten said 11 deposits were made to their accounts between Feb. 12 and May 16 at a national private bank in South Jakarta.
Ghalib officially took the helm of PGSI on April 13. Businessmen Nin King and Prajogo transferred their donations on April 23 and April 27 respectively.
Before revealing the controversial case to the media on Thursday, the independent watchdog provided copies of documents relating to the alleged Rp 1.8 billion in transfers to National Military Police Headquarters. The documents were delivered to the latter organization earlier on Thursday, because Ghalib is still an active three-star general.
According to Teten, copies of the transfers were mailed to the ICW office from an unidentified party.
In a related development on Monday, the attorney general, represented by office spokesman Soehandoyo and two lawyers, lodged a complaint against ICW for slander and defamation at Jakarta Police Headquarters.
ICW executives Teten and Bambang Widjojanto were named as the guilty party in their legal report.
After lodging the complaint, Ghalib's lawyers, Ruhut Sitompul and Hotma Sitompul, said their client informed the police that violation of bank secrecy laws had occurred.
The lawyers appeared to be referring to the accounts of Ghalib and his wife at the Melawai branch office of the Lippo Bank in South Jakarta.
The legal team declined to clarify their statement.
However, Ruhut said Ghalib was not complaining about the content of the ICW's findings.
"It's not the material that concerns us, but ICW's intention to slander and defame Pak Ghalib.
"If those people (from ICW) had goodwill, they should not have held the media conference to disclose the allegation, but confirmed it, or crosschecked it with the concerned parties, including Pak Ghalib."
Ruhut refused to comment on whether his remark could also mean his client accepted the allegation.
Last Friday, Denny Kailimang, a lawyer acting for Nin King and Prajogo, acknowledged the Rp 450 million transfer from his clients. However, he dismissed the bribery allegation, saying the fund transferred to Ghalib's account was for the wrestling association.
Separately, the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association supported the ICW findings.
"The transfer is not only addressed to Ghalib's account, but also to his wife's (account)," chairman of the association Hendardi said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post.
Hendardi Prajogo and Nin King should also be held accountable for their role in the matter.
"There is the principal of 'no free lunch' in a bribery case," Hendardi said. (prb/emf)