'No phones bugged at palace'

JAKARTA: Presidential military secretary Maj. Gen. T.B. Hasanuddin denied on Tuesday reports suggesting that telephone lines at the State Palace were bugged.

"There is no indication of phone bugging at the palace," Hasanuddin said during a hearing between State Secretary Bambang Kesowo and House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I for political affairs here on Tuesday.

He was reacting to earlier news reports saying that some foreign countries were tapping conversations between Megawati and Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

According to Hasanuddin, his office and the State Code Institution (LSN) had installed 10 antibugging devices at the State Palace.

Although the devices are not the most advanced ones, Hasanuddin said, they were effective enough to secure the phone lines.

The two-star general said his staff routinely checked the devices.

"If you, legislators, are concerned about this condition, please allocate a bigger budget to increase the number of antibugging devices," he added. -- JP