Rahardi reveals another conspiracy
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Golkar Party conspired to cover-up its involvement in the Rp 40 billion Bulog scandal, a former minister of trade and industry alleged in the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday.
Rahardi Ramelan, also the former chief of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), is also facing charges in relation to the corruption scandal that has captivated the nation.
Reading his 350-page personal defense, Rahardi said Golkar colleagues Tanri Abeng and Setya Novanto asked for a meeting on Sept. 26 last year while he was in Singapore undergoing a medical checkup, three days before returning Jakarta to face the prosecutors' questioning as a witness for the case.
"Setya offered to lobby the Attorney General's Office so everybody could be saved ... But I rejected this. I told them that I would tell the prosecutors everything I knew."
Tanri briefly served as the minister of state enterprises during Soeharto's era. Setya is Golkar's treasurer and was allegedly involved in the Rp 546 billion Bank Bali scandal in 2000. All suspects walked free because of what authorities said was a lack of evidence.
Rahardi's allegations are a revelation. He has said previously that he had two meetings with the team of lawyers retained by Golkar party chairman Akbar Tandjung.
Rahardi said that during the meetings he was asked to lie and to put all the blame on Bulog's former deputy director of finance, Ahmad Ruskandar.
Rahardi is accused of misusing Rp 62.9 billion in Bulog funds. Some Rp 40 billion allegedly went to then minister/state secretary Akbar for a charity program to provide food for the poor.
Akbar, the speaker of the House of Representatives, has been sentenced to three years jail for his role in the corruption of the money. He has yet to be placed behind bars and is refusing to resign from any of his posts.
What actually happened to the money remains unclear but many believe that Akbar channeled the money to bankroll Golkar's 1999 election campaign. Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret.) Wiranto admitted he got Rp 10 billion to finance operations in East Timor while the rest was allegedly used for other purposes, including for athletes and the presidential guards.
Prosecutor Yahya Kemas Rahman sought a five-year jail term for Rahardi for abusing his power to disburse the money in a bid to enrich others or particular institutions. Rahardi's actions had inflicted losses on the state, he said.
Rahardi maintained he was only the scapegoat of a political feud. In his defense he insisted that what he had done was in accordance with Bulog common practices and the president's orders.
His team of lawyers will read out their defense on Wednesday.