President to be cleared of charges in Bruneigate

JAKARTA (JP): The Embassy of Brunei Darussalam to Indonesia has confirmed that the US$2 million donation in financial aid from the sultanate to the President Abdurrahman Wahid was a private donation, Deputy Attorney for Special Crime Bachtiar Fahri Nasution said on Monday.

"The donation was given by the sultanate because of their personal relationship ... It is quite clear that the fund has nothing to do with a donation from government to government," Fahri told reporters after the inauguration ceremony of new officials at the Attorney General's Office here.

Fahri was referring to the controversial Brunei scandal, which, along with another financial scam -- the Bulogate, had led to the issuance of two censures from the House of Representatives, which could lead to the President's impeachment.

Buloggate centers around the misuse of the disbursement of Rp 35 billion rupiah (US$3 million) from Yanatera -- the State Logistics Agency's employees welfare fund, allegedly withdrawn by a masseur and business associate of the President.

Gus Dur, as the President is popularly known, has been quizzed over both scandals. The investigation which was held at the State Palace was conducted by Chairuman Harahap of the Attorney General's Office on May 5.

When asked about the Office's conclusion over its investigation on the two cases, Fahri said: "We are still evaluating the cases, and the conclusion will be disclosed soon."

He said that the office had questioned 34 witnesses in the two scandals, including former members of the House of Representatives' special committee on Buloggate and Bruneigate. The questioning of the legislators was held at the House.

He said the office had named four suspects in the Bulog scam -- Bulog's former deputy chief Sapuan, the president's former masseur Alip Agung Suwondo, and two officials of the agency.

Sapuan has been sentenced to two years in jail while Suwondo is being tried at the North Jakarta District Court. (02)