President's defense team named: Susilo

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.
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