Gus Dur told to explain Bulogate

Gus Dur told to explain Bulogate

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid must disclose any
information he may have surrounding the Rp 35 billion scandal at
the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) if he wants to keep his
credibility, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said on Tuesday.

The scandal, dubbed "Bulogate", has cost the job of Bondan
Gunawan, one of the President's close aides, who resigned from
his post of acting state secretary on Monday night in spite of
proclaiming his innocence in the case.

Abdurrahman, who is also popularly known as Gus Dur, is
scheduled to swear in Djohan Efendi as the new state secretary.

Details of the scandal remain sketchy at best with the prime
suspect, Abdurrahman's masseur Suwondo, at large, and others,
including the President, denying any knowledge about the case.

Akbar believed that Abdurrahman had significant information
about the scandal and stressed that it was in his own best
interest that he comes clean.

"If Gus Dur has any knowledge about this, then we hope he is
willing to divulge the information," Akbar said after receiving a
group of visiting German parliament members at his office.

Failure to present a satisfactory explanation would tarnish
the President's credibility, he said.

The case pertains to Rp 35 billion handed over in January to
Suwondo, who claimed to be acting on the President's behalf, from
the Yanatera foundation, owned by Bulog employees.

The money was approved by deputy Bulog chief Sapuan, who went
over the head of his chief, Yusuf Kalla, who was the trade and
industry minister until he was fired by the President last month.

There have been allegations since then that the money had gone
to people in Abdurrahman's inner circle, with Bondan and foreign
minister Alwi Shihab among the names often mentioned.

Akbar criticized Alwi for failing to explain why he asked
Yusuf Kalla in January about certain Bulog funds, while
repeatedly proclaiming to have no knowledge about the case.

Alwi should concentrate on his foreign affairs portfolio
because he has no business meddling in Bulog's affairs, he said.

"I'd like to know in what capacity Alwi was acting in when he
asked Yusuf about the Bulog money. As a foreign minister, of
course, such a question is irrelevant," Akbar said.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, Yusuf told investigators that
Alwi once asked him about the existence of the Bulog funds.

"At the time he just asked me whether the funds really
existed ... But he never asked for the funds," Yusuf said after
being questioned by two Jakarta Police detectives about the
scandal at his private residence.

Sapuan told investigators on Monday that he disbursed the Rp
35 billion from the Yanatera foundation to several people less
than two weeks after his meeting with Abdurrahman at Merdeka
Palace on Jan.7.

Speaking through his lawyer Isnul Tandjung, Sapuan said the
President told Sapuan during the meeting that he needed Rp 35
billion for some humanitarian programs for Aceh.

Suwondo approached Sapuan a few days later to remind him of
the President's request.

Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak announced on Tuesday
the appointment of Djohan Efendi as the new state secretary to
replace Bondan.

Marsilam described Djohan as an experienced bureaucrat who
once worked at the State Secretariat, and one of Abdurrahman's
close trustees.

"He is not a stranger to the State Secretariat," Marsilam said
after meeting with Abdurrahman at Merdeka Palace.

Hailing from Kandangan, South Kalimantan, 60-year-old Djohan
is currently the head of the research and development agency of
the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Marsilam said the President had decided not to fill Bondan's
other vacated post of secretary of government supervision.

Bondan, who was recruited into the President's inner circle in
January, said he would return to his previous activities as a
non-governmental organization activist.

Bondan's resignation also solicited praises from people who
regard him as a person of high integrity.

Aceh deputy council speaker H. Nurdin recalled Bondan's role
in mediating with the Aceh Free Movement (GAM) to restore peace
in the province.

"He has done so much for the Acehnese," Nurdin said.

Junaidi, the leader of Indonesian Islamic Student Association
(PPII) in Aceh, believed that Bondan was a victim of political
rifts among the elites.

The reference of Aceh in the Bulog scandal, he said, was an
attempt to discredit Bondan for his mediation efforts.

Head of the National Law Commission, J.E. Sahetapy, said
Bondan had every right to resign, but he was still needed to help
with the police investigation.

A legislator from the National Awakening Party (PKB), Noer
Iskandar Al-Barsany, praised Bondan for his bold decision to
resign.

"It's a reflection of his sportsmanship," Noer said.
(jun/01/50/51/44/45/edt/prb)