Nurdin Halid hospitalized, again

Nurdin Halid hospitalized, again

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Lawmaker Nurdin Halid, a suspect in a sugar smuggling case, was
readmitted to the Soekamto Police Hospital in East Jakarta on
Thursday night after police doctors declared him too ill to
undergo questioning.

National Police Director of Economic Crimes Brig. Gen. Samuel
Ismoko said on Friday that Nurdin, who is also chairman of the
All Indonesian Soccer Federation, was rushed to the hospital
after he began displaying the same symptoms that led to his
earlier hospitalization, including fainting spells.

"We sent him to the hospital on Thursday night after doctors
examined him. We cannot keep him here at the headquarters because
we do not have the ability to treat him. We would be blamed if
something happened," said Ismoko.

Nurdin, chairman of the Confederations of Primary Cooperatives
Association (Inkud), was treated at the same hospital for almost
four weeks before being transferred to police headquarters last
week.

Inkud has been accused of illegally importing some 73,000 tons
of sugar from Thailand in May. Police have declared a total of
eight people as suspects in the case. They are Nurdin, Nurdin's
younger brother, Abdul Waris Halid, Effendy Kemek, Abdul Badar
Saleh, Jack Tanim and three customs and excise officials.

Raja Benarje of PT Phoenix, the sugar exporter, was at one
time declared a suspect, but police investigators later amended
this and said the Thai citizen was only a witness.

The sugar scandal emerged after a farmers' association
reported in June they had found 73,000 tons of smuggled sugar in
several warehouses in Jakarta, Bogor and Makassar, South
Sulawesi.

It was during his initial questioning by the police in July
that Nurdin was first hospitalized, being taken to Pertamina
Hospital in South Jakarta.

Doctors at Pertamina said there was nothing wrong with Nurdin
and that he simply appeared tired.

Nevertheless, police transferred Nurdin to the Police Hospital
"to undergo intensive treatment". He remained at the hospital for
four weeks.

A team of police doctors said Nurdin had severe stomach
inflammation and was suffering from depression.

Contacted separately, the head of Nurdin's team of doctors,
Sr. Comr. Bimanesh Sutejo, said he could not comment and Ismoko
was the only officer authorized to discuss Nurdin's case.

Ismoko said the investigation would continue despite Nurdin's
poor health.

"We can continue interrogating witnesses and suspects in the
case. We won't stop just because Nurdin is hospitalized," said
Ismoko.

He said the police would focus on Nurdin's role as Inkud
chairman in the sugar transaction.

"As Inkud chairman he should know about such a big transaction
involving his organization. We will charge him under the
country's corruption law, as the state paid for the sugar to
foreign investors through his organization. Now the sugar is
illegal but the state has disbursed the funds," he said.

Ismoko said the transaction has caused billions of rupiah in
state losses.