Habibie's lawyer blames Akbar

Former president B.J. Habibie's lawyer blamed Akbar Tandjung for not coordinating with ministers assigned to handle the social safety net (JPS) in connection with the alleged misappropriation of Rp 40 billion (US$4 million) of funds belonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

"The decision to ask Pak Akbar to disburse Bulog's funds was made in a cabinet meeting in March 1999, as my client considered it to be an emergency situation due to the many poor people suffering from the economic crisis," Yan Juanda Saputra told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

"As the state secretary/Cabinet secretary, he (Akbar) should have coordinated with other ministers on the JPS team in the disbursement of the funds," Yan said.

Habibie issued Decree No. 190/1998 on the establishment of a task force, where 12 of his ministers were assigned to run the project.

The decree, however, ruled out the involvement of the state secretary/Cabinet secretary as either a member of the supervising team or the steering committee of the project.

"Pak Akbar was assigned as a facilitator to get the funds from Bulog. Pak Habibie had also ordered that the funds be taken from the deposit's interest and be returned in the next fiscal year of 2000/2001," Yan further argued.

"There was absolutely nothing wrong with Pak Habibie's policy," he stressed. -- JP