House team to question witnesses over scandals
House team to question witnesses over scandals
JAKARTA (JP): The chief of a special House of Representatives
investigation team probing two scandals related to President
Abdurrahman Wahid -- the State Logistics Agency and Brunei
scandals -- has said the team will question 21 people over the
scandals.
"If these people indicate that the President was involved in
the scandals, we might question him also for clarification,"
legislator Bachtiar Chamsyah announced on Friday.
Bachtiar, who is also deputy chairman of the United
Development Party (PPP) faction at the House, said the 50-member
team would report to a House plenary session on their work.
He expressed hope that the team, which officially starts its
investigation on Oct. 9, could complete its work by the end of
the House session in December.
"Whatever the results, we will announce them. It will also be
clarification for the public if the President is not guilty. It
will avoid slander," he contended.
The scandal at the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) surfaced in
April when it was disclosed that Rp 35 billion (US$4.2 million)
belonging to the agency's employees foundation had been diverted,
allegedly at the President's request, to finance humanitarian
programs in Aceh.
The money, however, reportedly went into the pockets of people
close to the President.
The President has denied complicity in the Bulog affair.
The other scandal involves a reported personal donation of $2
million from Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah to the President
for humanitarian programs in Aceh.
On Aug. 28, the House's plenary session approved, in a vote,
to set up a team to investigate the scandals.
Bachtiar said that among the 21 people who would be questioned
was newly appointed National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro.
He said Bimantoro would be summoned since the police had
reportedly questioned Abdurrahman in relation to the scandals.
"But we might question former National Police chief Gen.
Rusdihardjo if we think that Bimantoro's explanation is not
enough," he remarked.
Former minister of industry and trade and Bulog chief Yusuf
Kalla, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli, former
secretary of government supervision Bondan Gunawan will also be
questioned in connection to the cases, he said. (jun)