Rusdihardjo reveals Bulog scam to House

Rusdihardjo reveals Bulog scam to House

JAKARTA (JP): Former National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo
testified before the House of Representatives' Special Committee
on Tuesday revealing significant information about the persons
behind the Rp 35 billion (US$3.7 million) scandal at the National
Logistics Agency (Bulog).

Bachtiar Chamsyah, chairman of the special committee
investigating the scandal, declined to reveal Rusdihardjo's
statements, but suggested that the testimony was more than enough
for the House to draw a conclusion.

"Rusdihardjo's explanation was very important. It revealed
those involved in the scandal.

"His testimony has encouraged the special committee to
question main suspect Suwondo and Gus Dur (President Abdurrahman
Wahid's nickname)," he said after the hearing.

"I don't say that Gus Dur was involved in the case, but with
Rusdihardjo's explanation, 80 percent of the investigation has
been completed."

He said that legally he could not reveal the former police
chief's testimony to the public until the investigation was
completed.

"I cannot reveal the evidence obtained during the hearing,
including Rusdihardjo's testimony," Bachtiar said.

Sources close to the special committee's investigation,
however, told The Jakarta Post that Rusdihardjo testified that
Siti Farikha, a Semarang-based businesswoman, had received a Rp 5
billion check from the President, contradicting her previous
testimony.

"Rusdihardjo also testified that he had been asked by Gus Dur
to create a scenario as if Siti Farikha had received the funds
from her business partner Aris Junaidi, an apparent attempt to
conceal the President's role in the scandal," said one source.

Siti returned the money to the Police soon after the scandal
made headlines in April.

Meanwhile, another source said that Rusdihardjo had been asked
to remain cautious in investigating the scandal so that the case
would not shake the government.

Aris admitted to having received a Rp 5 billion check from the
President's masseur Suwondo, but said he had no idea if the money
was part of the Rp 35 billion taken from Bulog's employees
foundation, Yanatera.

Bachtiar said his committee would question Suwondo at the city
police detention facility and Gus Dur at the State Palace early
in January to seek their responses to Rusdihardjo's testimony.

"The investigation of the scandal is expected to be completed
in January," he said, while adding that Suwondo and Gus Dur could
not be questioned in December as the House would be in recess.

Borobudur

Meanwhile, calls for an investigation into an early October
meeting at the Borobudur Hotel between the President and
convicted felon, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, had gained support
from a number of legislators.

Syamsul Muarif, chairman of the Golkar Party, asked Tommy's
lawyers to release information on the alleged deal between the
President and Tommy to the House, saying that the information
would be sufficient reason to set up a special committee to
investigate the deal.

"Nudirman Munir, one of Tommy's lawyers, confirmed recently
that he had information on the alleged deal. He said that he was
ready to reveal the results of the meeting to the legislature.

Tjahyo Kumolo, deputy secretary of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said his faction was still
giving the police until the end of December to capture the
fugitive.

Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, escaped
arresting officers just hours before their arrival at his
residence in Jakarta to transport him to the penitentiary where
he was to begin serving an 18 month prison sentence for fraud.

"If the police fail to meet the deadline, our faction will ask
the police to probe the Borobudur meeting," he said.

Meanwhile, the Crescent Star Party (PBB) faction called on the
House on Monday to set up a special committee to investigate the
Borobudur meeting, where the President allegedly made a deal with
Tommy to circumvent his jail sentence. (rms/jun)