Oka's arrest: Supremacy of law 'still respected in Bali'

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Bali Corruption Watch chairman Putu Wiratha said here on Thursday the arrest of former Bali governor Ida Bagus Oka was evidence that the supremacy of law was now respected on the island.

"Oka was the most untouchable man in Bali in the past. His case is a good example that the legal system in Bali is now working. And the offense he allegedly committed actually involves only a small amount of money," he said.

"Most Balinese are probably happy to hear about his detention," Wiratha said about the arrest of Oka on Wednesday. "Most of his policies did grave harm to the people of Bali."

Oka, who is also a former state minister of population and chairman of the National Family Planning Board, was officially detained at Kerobokan prison, some 10 kilometers west of Denpasar, on Wednesday.

He is accused of involvement in a Rp 2.3 billion scam at the Yayasan Bali Dwipa, a state-owned foundation set up to raise funds for sport activities in Bali, when he was governor. Oka was the founder of the foundation.

About two hours before being taken to the prison at about noon on Wednesday, Oka was questioned for about two hours at the Bali Prosecutor's Office.

Urip Trigunawan, one of the state prosecutors who questioned Oka, said that after answering some 40 questions, Oka was handed an arrest warrant signed by Sabar Sitepu, the chief of the prosecutor's office.

Accompanied by his lawyers and his wife Asiawati, Oka, wearing a batik shirt and a blue hat, was taken to the prison in a KIA Carnival van.

Urip said the warrant was valid for only 20 days, meaning that Oka would be released after this time unless the prosecutor's office renewed the warrant.

According to Urip, Oka is accused of violating articles 1, 28 and 34 (c) of Law No. 3/1971 on corruption. "He is also accused of violating Paragraph 1, articles 55 and 64 of the Criminal Code."

According to Wiratha, Oka could receive a life sentence if found guilty. "His personal belongings could also be seized by the court."

The 67-year-old Oka was implicated in the fraud case after the executive director of the foundation, N. Sugiri, told prosecutors that most of the money involved in the fraud went into Oka's personal accounts.

Sugiri, who was the prime suspect in the case, has been detained in Kerobokan since last May.

Oka's three lawyers -- Suryatin Lijaya, Warsa T. Bhuwana and Nyoman Putra, expressed disappointment over the detention of their client, claiming that the accusations against Oka were groundless.

"There is no solid evidence and no witnesses who can confirm the accusations. Our client has also been very cooperative during the investigation, so there was no reason to put him behind bars at this stage of the investigation," Suryatin Lijaya said.

Oka was known to be close with then president Soeharto's family and associates. He earned the nickname "Mr. OK" from local human rights activists and environmentalists for approving numerous controversial projects in Bali proposed by the central government.

These projects included the Bali Nirwana Resort owned by the Bakrie family, the Bali Pecatu Graha Resort owned by Soeharto's youngest son Tommy and the Serangan island megaproject.

Several years ago, Oka's home village of Kesiman threatened to exile him from the community, a considerable humiliation for a Balinese, when he approved a controversial project in Padanggalak Beach, Sanur, a place believed by locals to be sacred.

The village backed down from its threat after Oka canceled the project. (zen)