President's defense team named: Susilo

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono revealed on Thursday that a special team to formulate the President's response to the House of Representatives' memorandum has been established.

"The President has appointed me to set up the political team and I'm now in the process of setting it up, including the candidate members of the team and the terms needed to formulate the response.

"Meanwhile, another government team which is handling the legal aspect of the case has also been established and is also preparing the response from the legal perspective," Susilo told reporters in a media conference.

During his visit to the National Police Academy in the Central Java capital of Semarang on Wednesday, President Abdurrahman Wahid revealed that he had instructed Susilo to set up a political team immediately to formulate the President's response to the House memorandum, which censured him over two financial scandals -- the Rp 35 billion (US$3.6 million) scandal at the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and the $2 million donation from the Sultan of Brunei.

Gus Dur, as the President is known, has said that the response to the House's memorandum, which was sent to him on Feb. 1, would cover the legal and political aspects of both scandals.

Gus Dur has also said that Susilo was expected to decide whether the team will give two separate answers or a package of answers over the two financial scandals.

"The government will act wisely and clearly in formulating the reply. We are not going to manipulate the truth," Susilo said. (02)