Neutral accounting firm to audit Ghalib's accounts
JAKARTA (JP): The government will appoint an independent accounting firm to audit the bank accounts of Attorney General Lt. Gen. Andi M. Ghalib in an attempt to take a transparent and just decision against the bribery case allegedly committed by the latter.
Minister of Justice Muladi, who made the announcement on Friday, said President B.J. Habibie's decision to hire a neutral accounting firm was taken after he summoned Coordinating Minister for Development Supervision and State Apparatus Reforms Hartarto and Ghalib to his private residence in Patra Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Thursday night.
The auditing is expected to be completed within one week, said Muladi.
"It's aimed at obtaining more objective portraits of what has happened with Pak Ghalib's accounts," Muladi said after meeting with the President at Bina Graha presidential office on Friday morning.
Speaking to journalists earlier in the morning, Muladi said the President ordered him to employ Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) and an independent accounting company.
"If we hire BPKP there will be an impression that we are one- sided," Muladi explained about the change.
Habibie was scheduled to consult with Hartarto and Muladi on Friday, but a meeting with Ghalib was not on his agenda.
According to Muladi, Habibie cross-checked the case directly with Ghalib.
Muladi compared the President's way in verifying the case with Ghalib's way in searching for the Soehartos' possible bank accounts in Switzerland earlier this month.
"The summons of Ghalib (by Habibie) means a preliminary inquiry, just like what was conducted in searching for Pak Harto's (alleged) wealth in Switzerland," Muladi noted.
Muladi, also minister/state secretary, and Ghalib recently went to Switzerland and Austria for a week to check Time's report that the former president allegedly transferred US$9 billion from Switzerland to an Austrian bank.
On June 3, while Ghalib celebrated his 53rd birthday abroad, Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) executive coordinator Teten Masduki announced in Jakarta that Ghalib collected no less than Rp 13 billion from August 1998 to May 1999.
The money was put in 14 bank accounts and four time deposits, at the Bank Lippo branch in Melawai, South Jakarta.
Ghalib has threatened to sue the bank. He also insisted the money, collected from various sources including problematic bankers, was used to finance the Indonesian Wrestling Association (PGSI), which he chairs.
He also claimed that PGSI treasurer Tahir, the son-in-law of Lippo Group chairman Mochtar Riady, was responsible for the fund- raising.
Teten met with Habibie on Thursday and presented him with all the documents to back up the allegation that Ghalib abused power to enrich himself and his family.
Teten also told the President that he was called an 'animal' by the attorney general.
"Pak Ghalib should not be emotional, by saying (whether Teten) is an animal or a human being," the President told Muladi during the meeting.
The minister confirmed during the meeting that Habibie's residence was packed with guests, mostly Buginese from South Sulawesi, the homeland of Ghalib.
Some of them tried to defend Ghalib, but some blasted him for his threat to commit Bugis siri, or revenge for humiliation against dignity according to Bugis customs.
"Many people from South Sulawesi gathered there. They were emotional both against Ghalib and the allegations against him," Muladi noted.
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, prominent sociologist Mattulada urged Ghalib not to incite ethnic sentiments in a bid for public support.
"As a national official, Ghalib must think nationally, and not use tribal sentiments," Mattulada said on Friday.
"As a Buginese, he must be honest and resolute. If he is guilty he must concede to it," Mattulada added.
Habibie himself was born in South Sulawesi.
Gajah Mada University Rector Ichlasul Amal said Habibie's chances to win the next presidential election would be influenced by his decision on the attorney general.
"The sacking of Ghalib will boost his bargaining position," he said on Friday in Yogyakarta.
Meanwhile, Teten criticized Habibie for slow action against the attorney general saying that the President has a prerogative power to sack cabinet members directly when they commit crime or corruption.
"He should not wait until the auditing is complete," Teten said on the sidelines of a discussion on Ghalib organized on Friday by ICW in Jakarta.
The discussion, titled the "Ghalib phenomenon : Overview from Journalistic, Ethic and Law Perspectives", also featured among others Bismar Siregar, former justice of Supreme Court, Bambang Purnomo, a law professor from Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University, Gandhi, former deputy attorney general for state administration Suhadibroto and weekly Tempo's executive Bambang Harymurti. (prb/asa/27/23)