KPU committee to probe Golkar campaign funding

JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Commission (KPU) assigned on Thursday a 10-member committee to investigate allegations the Golkar Party illegally accepted funds for its election campaign.

Commission chairman Rudini, speaking after a plenary meeting, said the committee led by Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI) would be given a week to complete the audit.

"The committee will look more closely into possible Golkar violations and supporting evidence and data, then KPU will decide on the issue. Our report will be submitted to the Supreme Court, the institution authorized to act on offenses committed by political parties contesting the elections," Rudini said.

Golkar officials defended its use of the disputed funds during the meeting.

In PricewaterhouseCoopers' audit of transactions in the Bank Bali scandal, the party reportedly received some Rp 15 billion. Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung has denied there was anything untoward in the transaction, saying the funds were a loan from Marimutu Manimaren, who is a businessman and the party's deputy treasurer.

Bintang said the meeting with Golkar was intended to discuss the alleged involvement of the party in the scandal

"I have suggested that KPU summon Golkar again if we find any definite supporting evidence," Bintang said.

He said he found irregularities in the audit of Golkar's campaign funding.

"Golkar failed to mention the sources of donation in the report, including using the term of a 'loan' from Manimaren."

He said his committee's report would serve as preliminary evidence.

During the meeting with Rudini, Golkar treasurer Fadel Mohammad explained that the loan from Manimaren was obtained before he received any funds from Bank Bali's interbank claim fee.

"We received the money on June 2 after I requested that M. Manimaren seek funding for Golkar's activities on May 28. Whereas, the money from the Bank Bali scandal was received by Manimaren on June 9," he said.

He was disappointed with the meeting, which he said served more as an interrogation than clarification. He also showed a letter written by Manimaren dated Oct. 26, which stated that the money was a loan from Manimaren and did not originate from Bank Bali's interbank claim fee from PT Era Giat Prima.

Fadel stated Golkar possessed a complete list of contributors to repay the Rp 15 billion loan from Manimaren.

He said Golkar did not violate any regulation on campaign funding as the amount was far below the threshold of Rp 110 billion.

"Our total campaign funding was Rp 87.5 billion. The first audit in the period before the elections on May 17 showed that we spent around Rp 74 billion, and the second audit from May 18 to June 30 showed Golkar spent another Rp 13.5 billion."

Fadel said Golkar was ready to defend itself in court and was prepared with evidence to refute the allegations.

"We plan to deliver the full report of the party's funding to the Supreme Court at the end of the year. But because of a lawsuit against us, we will submit it earlier," he said.

He was referring to the suit filed by 11 political parties, including the National Democrats Party (PND), Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI), Justice and Unity Party (PKP), National Labor Party (PBN), Indonesian People's Party (PARI) and Indonesian National Party (PNI), at the Supreme Court on Wednesday. They demanded Golkar's disqualification for its alleged illegal fund raising for the elections.

PND chairman Edwin Henawan Soekawati said the lawsuit was intended to uphold the supremacy of law.

"If Golkar is proven guilty of the charges, it should be barred from the 2004 elections. The results of the June general election should be reviewed as consequence."

Bintang said his committee had sufficient evidence to bring Golkar before the Supreme Court.

He added that the 11 parties would continue to collect evidence. (02)