Kostrad chief admits misuse of funds by two officers

BANDUNG (JP): Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah has admitted that an internal audit has found irregularities in his command's financial reports.

Speaking to journalists here on Wednesday, Agus said to facilitate investigations further two colonels had been suspended.

However, he gave few details of the irregularities and the sums of money involved.

He said that the two suspended colonels were obliged to report to the Army inspectorate general and if they were proven guilty the two would be brought before a military court on corruption charges.

Agus said the suspended colonels had allegedly misused funds for the procurement of Army equipment from South Korea by making false financial reports.

Army spokesman Brig. Gen. F.X. Bachtiar told The Jakarta Post that Army headquarters were helping Kostrad conduct the internal audit.

When asked, however, he said he knew nothing of the two suspended colonels.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) and Ministry of Defense are currently conducting a thorough audit on their budgets and the foundations and companies related to both offices.

Agus vowed to continue the "cleaning up" of his command. He stressed though that it was not meant to "corner" his predecessors, but merely to enhance the Army's professionalism.

He claimed that the financial audit on the command was being conducted with the knowledge of former Kostrad commander Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto.

"People should not try to bend the issue from a legal one to a political one," Agus said. (25/dja)