Rudini joins debate over Bantul regent

Rudini joins debate over Bantul regent

JAKARTA (JP): The public scrutiny of Bantul regent Col. Sri
Roso Sudarmo for his alleged use of public money to fund a
transaction with a local soothsayer continued yesterday with
former home affairs minister Rudini taking his turn to speak out.

Rudini, who is also a former Army chief of staff, questioned
the source of the Rp 1 billion (US$425,000) reportedly promised
by the regent to the soothsayer prior to his re-election.

"That amount is a lot for a regency like Bantul; it could have
been used to run its development program. Punitive measures
should be taken if he is proved to have embezzled the money from
the regency's annual budget," Rudini said.

Scrutiny of Sudarmo began shortly after speculation emerged
that he was involved in the August murder of a Yogyakarta
journalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin. Fuad, known as Udin, had
written articles on alleged administrative corruption by the
regency before his death.

A travel agent employee, Dwi Sumaji, was charged with the
murder but, after a two-month investigation, was released him
Wednesday. He remains the suspect, however, although the police
refuse to comment on any possible redetention.

Rudini refused to comment on the implied link between any
possible embezzlement and Udin's killing, saying that the murder
case was being handled by the police.

However, Rudini called on the Armed Forces chief to order an
investigation of the regent, who is still in military service.

According to Indonesian military career planning, an officer
must receive the Armed Forces chief's consent before accepting a
civilian posting.

"If he is proved to have made the deal with a soothsayer, the
Armed Forces chief can ask the Ministry of Home Affairs to send
him (Sudarmo) back to barracks and can investigate and try him,"
Rudini said.

Separately, the Armed Forces' sociopolitical affairs personnel
assistant, Maj. Gen. Soegijardjo, said in Bandung yesterday that
in principle the Armed Forces will stick to its commitment to
support justice.

"But we have to look deeply into what sort of violation the
regent might have done before running an investigation,"
Soegijardjo said, adding that he has yet to receive an official
order for an investigation.

He guaranteed that the Armed Forces will never let any
violators escape. "A small mistake, let's say the loss of a
button, will be punished, let alone a big mistake," he said.

Soegijardjo said that Sudarmo was given a second five-year
term on the people's request.

In Yogyakarta, Chief of the Provincial Prosecutors Office
Asrief Adam confirmed yesterday that he refused to accept the
police's dossiers on Sumaji Thursday for failing to hold a
complete reconstruction.

"The dossiers are neither complete nor perfect as required,"
Asrief said.

The Yogyakarta Police chief, Col. Mulyono Sulaiman, said
Thursday that the police could not do better than the Dec. 9
reconstruction, which Sumaji disrupted by refusing to act as
Udin's killer.

"If the police said they had done their best, we can initiate
additional investigations as suggested by the law," Asrief said.
"But we are not allowed to run a reconstruction."

Sumaji, along with his son, father and lawyer, attended a mass
prayer at Kauman Mosque near Yogyakarta Palace yesterday, a few
hours after doctors confirmed his clean bill of health.

A throng of devotees mobbed him after the service.

"It was my first prayer at this mosque," he said, adding that
he was never allowed to go out for Friday prayers during his 58-
day detention. (21/23/imn/amd)