Police may question Akbar over land scam

JAKARTA (JP): Pressure over a housing scam allegedly involving Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung is growing with National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf on Thursday suggesting that Akbar could be questioned pending the emergence of further evidence.

"If there is strong evidence of a crime, we might summon Akbar for questioning. Nobody is above the law," Saleh told reporters.

He said the police would ask for a presidential waiver of legislative immunity, as required for the investigation or questioning of a member of the House.

Saleh however said that initially the police would take further testimony from Kurnia Ananta, the alleged victim, who accused Akbar of having falsified land title documents.

Saleh also revealed that the National Ombudsman Commission on Jan. 23 had recommended that the police investigate the case.

Kurnia, who claims to be a close relative of Akbar, filed a police complaint in 1995 over fake titles to 90,000 square meters of land in Srengseng subdistrict, Kebun Jeruk district, West Jakarta.

At the time Akbar was Minister of Public Housing.

Last year, Kurnia twice reported the case to the police in July and in September. After receiving an "unsatisfactory response", he then complained to the ombudsman commission last month.

Saleh admitted that the police had yet to fully probe the case, hoping that it could be settled amicably among the family members.

"First, we thought that it was a family matter. But if the family cannot settle the matter, we will handle it," he asserted.

National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro had earlier indicated that the police were opening files on past corruption cases following hints by President Abdurrahman Wahid that 10 former officials and businessmen from the New Order era would soon be investigated.

Earlier, several politicians had reported Akbar to Attorney General Marzuki Darusman for his alleged involvement in a scam over the Housing Savings Fund (Taperum).

Golkar was also accused of siphoning off Rp 90 billion of State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds during the 1999 general election campaign.

These allegations have recently come to the fore following the House's motion to censure Abdurrahman for his alleged involvement in the Bulog and Brunei financial scandals. (jun)