Lopa testifies to meeting with the President

Lopa testifies to meeting with the President

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Baharuddin
Lopa confirmed on Thursday that President Abdurrahman Wahid met
with him last year to discuss the legal aspects of two financial
scandals that are allegedly linked to the President.

Lopa, also a former secretary-general of the National
Commission on Human Rights (Komnas Ham), testified before the
House of Representatives' special committee investigating the
State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and the Brunei financial scandals
that the meeting was held in Oman in June 2000.

"At the meeting, the President conceded that he called Sapuan
several times to Merdeka Palace in December 1999 over a plan to
disburse a Rp 35 billion (US$3.6 million) fund from the State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) foundation," he said after the hearing
with the House's special committee.

Sources on the special committee who requested anonymity said
that Lopa told the committee that the President also asked for
his advice over the trial of former president Soeharto and the
"deal" between Soeharto's daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana and
the Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
Affairs, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Lopa said that at the meeting, he had also warned the
President that he would have committed a crime if he knew about
the planned disbursement of the funds but did nothing to prevent
it.

"But, the President said that he knew nothing about the
further disbursement of the funds," he said.

Asked whether the President was involved in the Bulog scandal
or not, Lopa declined to comment.

"I just told Gus Dur that he would have committed a crime if
he knew about the disbursement of the funds but did nothing to
prevent it," he repeated.

Lopa said he had suggested that the special committee seek
clarification from Abdurrahman because the President was a key
witness in the scandals.

He also urged the special committee to seek clarification from
Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah to ascertain the true status of
the US$2-million fund that he had given to the President.

"If the money from the Sultan was personal assistance, the
problem is over," he said.

The special committee appreciated Lopa's testimony which was
considered as important input for the conclusion of the
investigation into the two scandals.

"Lopa's testimony is very important for the special committee.
It strengthens the testimony given earlier by other witnesses,"
said legislator Alvin Lie, deputy chairman of the special
committee.

The committee also questioned Teti Nursetiati, Soewondo's
wife, on Thursday, but declined to reveal her testimony.

Meanwhile, outside the House building, more than 1,000
students and youths staged a demonstration, demanding that the
special committee investigate the scandals thoroughly.

The anti-government protesters also called on the President to
step down because of his alleged involvement in both scandals.

They were, however, denied access to the House because of
tight security provided by hundreds of riot police from the
Police Mobile Brigade.

A number of students, who were selected to represent the
protesters at a meeting with the special committee, brought along
with them a coffin symbolizing the death of the Abdurrahman
administration. (rms)