KPU committee to probe Golkar campaign funding

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)