House to quiz ex mining ministers

JAKARTA: A House of Representatives special inquiry team investigating corruption allegations in state-owned oil company Pertamina will summon a number of former mines and energy ministers to explain the policies they introduced when they were still in office.

Inquiry team member Firman Jaya Daeli of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) told the media on Wednesday that they would summon former ministers Subroto, Ginandjar Kartasasmita and I.B. Sudjana, as well as former Pertamina president director Faisal Abda'oe.

He did not specify any date for their questioning.

On Wednesday, the team summoned former attorney general Marzuki Darusman, who once declared Ginandjar, who is also Golkar chairman and deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, a suspect in a technical assistance contract scandal. The case, however, was dropped halfway due to a lack of evidence.

According to Firman, the Attorney General's Office lacks the moral courage and political will to investigate corruption allegations in Pertamina thoroughly. -- Antara