Habibie's lawyer blames Akbar

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