Puteh grilled hours over graft case

Puteh grilled hours over graft case

Abdul Khalik and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta

The National Police here questioned Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh
in Jakarta for more than eight hours over a corruption case worth
Rp 30 billion (US$3.1 million) in losses to the state.

Puteh arrived at the National Police headquarters at around 8
a.m. on Wednesday. He was asked at least 20 written questions
about the Aceh government's alleged mark-up in the purchase price
of power generators.

The governor was questioned as a witness about how the
purchase was carried out and who was involved in the transaction,
National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung
Sudjono said.

"We will also summon several Aceh councillors as witnesses
soon. We hope this will give us enough information on Abdullah
Puteh's role," he said added.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman told The Jakarta
Post that investigators would later discuss the results of the
probe into Puteh.

"The team will examine whether there is sufficient evidence
from the interrogation to name Puteh a suspect," he added.

Paiman said the governor would most likely be summoned again
to clarify evidence the police had collected from other
witnesses.

Speaking after the questioning, Puteh denied being involved in
the graft case, arguing the purchase had been approved by the
Aceh legislative council.

"I am innocent because all the Aceh councillors approved the
decision. What I did was simply to follow it up," he said.

Puteh's lawyer, OC Kaligis, said the government began planning
to buy the generators in October 2002 after protests by
university students, who demanded it fix the electricity system
damaged by separatist rebels.

The demonstrators had complained about frequent power cuts
across Aceh, he said.

Kaligis said Puteh responded to the demand by arranging a
hearing with councillors and community figures. Subsequently, the
council endorsed the project and asked Puteh to finance the
project from the budget.

"Because state electricity firm PLN was responsible for the
project, it handled everything the right way after the approval.
PLN later appointed William Taylor as the contractor," he said.

From that point, Puteh had nothing to do with the project,
Kaligis said.

Aceh Police have already arrested Taylor in connection with
the case. His testimony led to the questioning of Puteh.

As the governor of Aceh, Puteh has again begun administering
the province after the state government downgraded the state of
martial law to a state of civil emergency last month.

The corruption scandal has made Puteh widely unpopular in the
province and the government has since dispatched a team of
"special advisors" to monitor activities in the regional
government.

Last week, President Megawati Soekarnoputri gave permission to
the National Police to interview Puteh.

The probe was part of police efforts to resolve at least 42
alleged corruption cases in the provincial administration.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is also scheduled
to question Puteh on Friday over a suspected markup in the Rp 12
billion purchase of a Russian Mi-2 helicopter in 2002.

"We have sent a summons to him for questioning on Friday,"
said KPK deputy head Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean.

The commission had already questioned three Aceh councillors
about the purchase, he said.

It had also talked to the company that brokered the deal, the
Navy and the Air Force.

"We hope to name suspects (in the case) sometimes next week,"
Tumpak said.

While, Aceh is rich in oil and other resources, it is one of
the country's poorer provinces.