Questioning of Dolog chief Zamawi continues

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)