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)