Laode fails again to testify in Rahardi Ramelan trial

Laode fails again to testify in Rahardi Ramelan trial

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

For the fourth time, the South Jakarta District Court failed on
Tuesday to hear the testimony of the Vice President's advisor Laode
Kamaluddin in the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) scandal
hearing, due to the lack of official approval from President
Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Chief prosecutor Kemas Yahya Rahman told the court that he
failed to present the witness in the trial of former chief of
Bulog Rahardi Ramelan, as he had not secured permission from the
President.

Permission is needed because Laode is also a member of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

However, Kemas did not say why the President had not approved
the request to question La Ode.

Rahardi is accused of misusing Rp 62.9 billion of the Bulog
nonbudgetary funds.

According to the lawyers, Laode obtained from Rahardi some Rp
400 million, which was disbursed to fund a project to influence
favorable media coverage for former president B.J. Habibie who
was about to run for the 1999 election.

Rp 40 billion went to then state secretary Akbar Tandjung for
a charitable project, Rp 10 billion to former defense minister
Wiranto for security during the general session while the rest
was disbursed for various reasons, including for the presidential
guards and athletes of the national swimming association.

Many alleged that Akbar channeled the money to the Golkar
Party. Akbar, who now currently House speaker and Golkar leader,
is facing a possible four years imprisonment over the same case.

Later in the day, a former official of the Ministry of
Finance, Hatomi, told the court that Bulog funds had been
misappropriated during the defendant's term.

However, he withdrew his earlier statement that the state
suffered financial losses.

"As long as it was used for the sake of the state, then there
was no losses to the state. But we could still call it
misappropriation," Hatomi said.

When Kemas asked about the money spent by Rahardi for the
athletes, he refused to reply.