Wed, 26 Sep 2001

Police questions secretary

JAKARTA (JP): Police summoned and questioned the secretary of a senior official of the finance ministry on Tuesday in relation to the discovery of a traveler's cheque in an envelope addressed to legislator Aberson Marle Sihaloho at the House of Representatives.

Elly, secretary to Anshari Ritonga, the director general of budget at the finance ministry, was questioned at National Police Headquarters for almost two hours.

"We have yet to summon Ritonga and Aberson, but we plan to do so in the near future," Brig. Gen. Bakat Purwanto, director of corruption crimes at National Police Headquarters told The Jakarta Post.

On Sept. 12, Sandi, a cleaner at the House, found a Rp 10 million (US$1,063) traveler's cheque in an envelope from Anshari Ritonga's office, addressed to Aberson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

Sandi later returned the envelope to Anshari's secretary Elly.

Aberson denied having received any sum of money from Anshari.(06)