President's OK needed to question Akbar

JAKARTA (JP): Police are still awaiting the consent of President Abdurrahman Wahid to question House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung over his alleged involvement in a land scam, National Police detectives chief Insp. Gen. Engkesman Rangkeong Hillep said on Monday.

"We have received the (police) report on the case. We're now waiting for the President's consent to summon Akbar," Engkesman told reporters.

National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro supported Engkesman's statement, saying that the police would investigate all reports of criminal offenses, including the case involving Akbar, who is also the chairman of the Golkar Party.

"Whoever the person is, the report will be followed up on by the police," Bimantoro told reporters after installing Brig. Gen. Nurdin Usman as the new chief of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob).

A man named Kurnia Ananta, who claims to be a close relative of Akbar, has repeatedly reported to the police that Akbar had forged the title documents to a 90,000-square-meter plot in Srengseng subdistrict, Kebun Jeruk district, West Jakarta.

Kurnia first reported the case in 1995 when Akbar was State Minister for Public Housing under then President Soeharto.

Last year, Kurnia again reported the case to the police in July and September. As he received an unsatisfactory response on both occasions, he then reported the case to the National Ombudsman Commission in January.

The commission recommended on Jan. 23 that the police investigate the case.

In a related development, Engkesman said the police would probe the alleged misuse of Rp 90 billion (US$9.3) belonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) by the Golkar Party during the 1999 general election campaign.

"Although we have yet to receive a report, we will proceed to investigate the case," he said.

Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D., who had earlier revealed the use of the funds by Golkar, said he was ready to testify either before a court or a House hearing.

Mahfud admitted that he had obtained the data about the case from Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli, who was once the Bulog chief.

Many, however, consider that the police investigations into Akbar and his party are in retaliation for the House's decision to pass a motion of censure against the President on Feb. 1.

The House accused Abdurrahman of being involved in the misuse of a Rp 35 billion (US$3.6 million) fund belonging to Bulog and giving inconsistent statements about a $2 million donation made to him by the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah. (jun)