ICW foresees no closure of graft case

ICW foresees no closure of graft case

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) said they
expected no resolution of the alleged corruption at the Balongan
oil refinery in West Java if President B.J. Habibie retains power
in the new government.

"If Habibie retains his power in the next government, the
alleged irregularities in the construction of the Balongan
refinery will remain unsolved," ICW president Teten Masduki said
on Tuesday.

Last month, ICW sent a letter to Habibie, asking him why he
suspended the investigation into the alleged corruption at the
Balongan refinery, which reportedly involved a son of former
president Soeharto and a number of senior officials at various
ministries.

Legislators have accused state oil company Pertamina of
marking up the cost of the US$2.4 billion refinery, which was
completed in 1995.

Legislators said the real cost of the project should have
been only $1.6 billion. But the Attorney General's Office
estimated the excess of the cost at only $113 million.

According to ICW, the Attorney General's Office reported to
Habibie in May the identities of possible suspects in the alleged
graft case, but no legal action was taken.

"I, however, see new hope with the election of reformist Amien
Rais to the People's Consultative Assembly chairmanship, which
will hopefully lead to the election of a new credible
government," Teten said.

ICW is continuing its investigation into the Balongan case and
is currently crosschecking documents from people allegedly
involved, Teten added.

"Pertamina is not cooperative at all," Tetan said of the state
oil company's attitude toward the investigation.

In his letter to Habibie in May, then attorney general
Muhammad Ghalib mentioned former Pertamina president Faisal
Abda'oe and former processing director Tabrani Ismail as possible
suspects in the alleged corruption case. (03)