Sanyoto, Beddu questioned over Tommy's projects

JAKARTA (JP): Former minister of investment Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo and former chairman of the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) Beddu Amang were questioned at the Attorney General's Office on Friday over the national car project and a multibillion rupiah land scam respectively.

"I came this morning to provide necessary information on the national car (project)," Sanyoto told reporters after he was questioned for more than two hours by the head of the center for intelligence operations, Sudibyo Saleh.

Sanyoto declined to comment when asked whether there were corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices in the national car project. It is not clear whether he will be questioned again.

Sanyoto's questioning came after Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes Anton Sujata said on Thursday that a number of former government officials would be questioned over alleged corruption involving former president Soeharto during his 32 years in power.

Among those still to be questioned are former minister of finance Mar'ie Muhammad and former vice Cabinet secretary Bambang Kesowo.

A focus of the Soeharto questioning on Wednesday was the national car program, a project controlled by his youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra which was given huge tax breaks to produce the Timor national car.

The company also received a multimillion dollar soft loan from a consortium of 16 banks, including state banks.

An Attorney General's Office document distributed Monday at the House of Representatives said the national car project was a "nepotism project" that could cost the government some US$1.5 billion.

Anton said later in the afternoon that Beddu was questioned over the sale of Bulog property in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, to PT Goro Bhatara Sakti, the supermarket chain which was partly owned by Tommy and businessman Ricardo Gelael.

"Not much has been revealed as the investigation is still in the preliminary phase," Anton told reporters.

Beddu, who arrived for questioning at around 7:55 a.m., was accompanied by his lawyer Amir Syamsudin.

Anton said on Thursday that Beddu, Tommy and Ricardo had been officially declared suspects in the investigation into the alleged land scam.

Both Ricardo and Tommy were questioned on Thursday and on Nov. 23 as witnesses by the Attorney General's Office for their involvement in the Bulog-Goro case.

The investigation is focusing on a contract Bulog signed to sell its property in Kelapa Gading to Goro. Under the exchange, the state agency was to receive a 63-hectare plot in Marunda, North Jakarta, estimated to be worth Rp 52.5 billion.

However, Bulog had only received eight hectares of the plot and the state agency even forked out Rp 32.5 billion for the property which should have been paid by Goro.

In addition, Bulog also provided a guarantee for a Rp 20 billion loan which Goro took out from Bank Bukopin to purchase the Marunda land.

PT Goro Batara Sakti used to run two giant supermarkets in Kelapa Gading and on Jl. Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta. The Pasar Minggu outlet was burned down during the May riots and is still derelict.

Early this year Tommy sold his entire share in Goro to Puskud, a government cooperative movement.

Beddu was replaced in August amid growing accusations of gross inefficiency and corruption within the state agency.

Attorney General Andi Muhamad Ghalib said on Friday that Soeharto would be requestioned after his office completed the questioning of a number of former ministers.

"We will cross-check the information we get from the former ministers and officials with him (Soeharto)," Ghalib said without specifying a date. (byg)