Novanto to remain KONI treasurer despite scandal
JAKARTA (JP): Setya Novanto will remain in his post as National Sports Council (KONI) treasurer despite being detained by police on Wednesday.
KONI secretary-general Rudolf S. Warouw said that although the police detained Novanto to further investigate his involvement in the US$70 million Bank Bali scandal, he would maintain his position in the council.
"We can't just judge someone. We must see the case from both sides and stick to the presumption of innocence. The KONI chairman will see if Novanto's prolonged absence from KONI will disturb the organization's performance.
"If Novanto's absence causes difficulties in KONI, particularly in funds, then the chairman will call a plenary meeting to request suggestions from other officials.
"But if his absence does not effect our work, then it will be the chairman's decision (about what to do with Novanto)," he said.
Novanto was reportedly released from police custody around midnight on Wednesday, with police citing the suspect's status as a member of the People's Consultative Assembly as the reason for his release.
KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar was in Semarang on Thursday and unavailable for comment.
Warouw said KONI officials must differentiate between Novanto's business and personal affairs.
"There's a strict line between business and personal affairs. You know most KONI officials have other business outside the sports council," he said.
Novanto was one of six suspects in the Bank Bali scandal who were detained by police on Tuesday. The other five suspects were Djoko Sugiarto Chandra, Rudy Ramli, Rusli Suryadi, Firman Sutjahja and Henri Kurniawan.
Novanto and Djoko are executives of PT Era Giat Prima (EGP). Djoko is also the owner of the Hotel Mulia Senayan, which housed athletes participating in the 19th Southeast Asian Games here two years ago.
The construction of the five-star hotel sparked controversy, with the Jakarta administration fining PT Jakarta Country Club, which manages the hotel, Rp 15.13 billion (US$1.81 million) for violating zoning restrictions.
"The chairman of KONI has the authority to decide whether to keep a person in his post. The most important thing is that the chairman will be held responsible at the 2003 National Congress," Warouw said.
Novanto is the second sports official to be embroiled in scandal following former attorney general and Indonesian Wrestling Association chairman Andi Ghalib, who was alleged to have received bribes from businessmen his office was investigating.
In the meantime, the deputy treasurer of KONI, ECW Neloe, will take over Novanto's duties. Neloe is the vice president of PT Chandra Asri, which is partly owned by one of former president Soeharto's son Bambang Trihatmodjo's companies.
However, a KONI staff member who requested anonymity said Neloe rarely came to KONI's office. The staff member also said that every time KONI needed Neloe's approval on a check, a member of the KONI staff had to bring the check to Neloe's office in the Wisma Barito Pacific building in West Jakarta.
Warouw said that for KONI to develop sports in the country, KONI officials had to be professionals.
"So far, it's really difficult to find people who are willing to work full time in KONI. It's a volunteer job. It takes sacrifice.
"We thought about it before we named the officials to KONI earlier this year. But in the future, 100 percent of our officials must be professionals. I believe by recruiting professionals, athletes' development will improve," he said. (yan)