Minister denies his wife traveled on state expenses

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto vehemently denied yesterday that his wife, Dit Haryanto, had enjoyed a shopping spree in Bangkok at the state's expense.

"It's nonsense. No state or Dharma Wanita money was used. They were spending their own money," he said as he was surrounded by reporters during a break at a hearing of the House of Representatives here yesterday.

"Ibu Dit did not go (to Bangkok). She only went to Singapore, accompanying her disabled sister who was going for medical treatment," he said.

He said his wife had also sought treatment on the island- state, for her arm from a sinse -- a Chinese traditional healer.

"Ibu Dit even told me that she had never been to Bangkok," Haryanto claimed.

Haryanto once again become the target of scandal when press reports broke out that his wife with dozens of members of the Ministry of Transportation's Dharma Wanita chapter -- the civil servant's wives and female employees organization -- went to Bangkok together.

Customs at Soekarno-Hatta International airport are also said to be detaining several boxes which contain goods from the shopping spree in Bangkok, because they were not accompanied by the appropriate papers.

Responding to a salvo of questions, Haryanto admitted that several of the wives of his officials did go to Bangkok but without his knowledge.

"It was on their own initiative and with their own money," he contended.

"So they went on an excursion (but) not in the name of Dharma Wanita. They just gathered by themselves and went there by themselves," he said.

Haryanto was found guilty of misusing state funds early last year.

In January 1996 Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said an investigation had found Haryanto guilty of using state funds for his own personal use but he had since repaid all the money.

The government did not reveal how much Haryanto had misused, saying only that various other allegations against him were untrue and that the case should be considered closed.

The earlier scandal came to the fore in December after classified documents were leaked to the press alleging Haryanto had used hundreds of thousands of dollars of Garuda Indonesia's funds for his wife's trip to Europe and his son's racing hobby in the United States.

Asked yesterday whether he would reprimand those who took part in the Bangkok excursion, Haryanto replied: "I will ... because there has been a harsh reactions from you all (journalists)."

The civil servants' wives reportedly choose Bangkok because many goods are on sale there due to the economic crisis afflicting the country.

Haryanto also refuted reports that many boxes containing goods from the shopping excursion in Bangkok were being held up in customs.

"I went to check on the goods myself, with my wife, between 9 p.m. and 10.30 p.m., but they were not there. And when I asked a Garuda officer there, I was told that there were some goods, but a normal quantity.

"There were not dozens of boxes as has been reported," he said. (aan)