Neutral accounting firm to audit Ghalib's accounts
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)