Police want Nurdin to appear Thursday

JAKARTA: The National Police said on Wednesday they wanted to question lawmaker Nurdin Halid over an illegal sugar scandal on Thursday, though he has insisted he will only show up on Friday.

"He is an important witness in the case. The sooner we question him the better it will be for the investigation," said National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung Sudjono.

Nurdin, the chairman of the Confederation of Primary Cooperatives Societies (Inkud), has defied a first police summons. If he fails to show up for this summons and a subsequent third summons, the police have said they will arrest him.

Suyitno said the police were scheduled to summon Radja Bernaje, one of the suspects in the case, sometime next week as his lawyer had promised to ensure he would appear for questioning. --JP