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)