Questioning of Dolog chief Zamawi continues
JAKARTA (JP): The city police continued questioning the city's logistics agency (Dolog Jaya) head, Ahmad Zawawi, on Tuesday after the latter vomited and requested an adjournment in Monday's session.
Zawawi has formally been named the main suspect in illegal rice transactions and rice exports.
A police source said Zawawi entered the investigation room at the police's economic crimes unit at 8:50 a.m., accompanied by three lawyers from the law bureau of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).
Head of the economic crimes unit Lt. Col. Saut Usman told The Jakarta Post the questioning was still underway at 7:30 p.m.
"We gave him 38 questions, but he (Zawawi) didn't answer some of them clearly and sometimes even refused to give any answer at all," he said.
Meanwhile, city police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman told reporters that there was no pressure put on Zawawi during questioning.
Many people have speculated that Zawawi's case may be designed to lead to an investigation into his superior, former Bulog chairman Beddu Amang.
Beddu was replaced last month after a three-year tenure. His replacement was in line with the government's program to restructure the agency, which is in charge of the procurement and distribution of basic commodities throughout the country.
However, observers have speculated that Beddu's removal was an indication of there being collusion in the awarding of Bulog contracts for importing basic commodities.
"Summoning others involved in this case will have to wait until after we have the results of Zawawi's questioning," Noegroho said, declining to reveal whether Beddu's name had been mentioned by Zawawi during the interrogation.
Zawawi was relieved from his post last week to help speed up the police investigation into his alleged wrongdoings.
Dolog Jaya's acting head Saean Ahmad said on Tuesday that Dolog rice distribution would eventually be handled by cooperatives and small-scale businesses.
"This measure is being taken to empower both cooperatives and small-scale businesspeople as well as to reduce the number of delinquent distributors who have caused a commotion in rice distribution in the city, where a large amount rice intended for market operations for the needy has gone missing.
"We believe the cooperatives still have a high moral responsibility in distributing rice," he said.
Saean said that Dolog would discuss the matter on Thursday with the Jakarta offices of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises.
"The important thing now is that people can get rice at a cheap price," he said. (emf/ind)