Seven questioned over Jamsostek funds scandal

Seven questioned over Jamsostek funds scandal

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Provincial Prosecutor's office
questioned yesterday seven people in connection with the alleged
misuse of billions of rupiah of the state-owned insurance company
PT Jamsostek.

Head of the prosecutor's office Fachri Qasim said two
officials from the Ministry of Manpower, one from the Ministry of
Finance, two Jamsostek executives, a hotel employee, and a
secretariat staff of the House of Representatives faced a team of
prosecutors, including one from the Attorney General's Office.
The team was led by Togar R. Hutabarat, intelligence assistant to
the prosecutors' office.

The questioning started at 9 a.m. and lasted until late in the
afternoon. Qasim refused to identify the people under
investigation, citing the presumption of innocence principle.

He said nine people were originally on the list, but one of
them had been questioned last Monday and the other failed to turn
up yesterday for undisclosed reasons.

"The questioning of the seven people has already finished.
Hopefully, we can complete the investigation in two weeks," he
said.

He said the team of prosecutors would examine the possibility
that the nine had committed crimes.

"The investigation will not go that far," Qasim said when
asked whether the investigation team would summon Minister of
Manpower Abdul Latief.

The prosecutor's office launched the investigation following
Jamsostek president Abdillah Nusi's confession last week that the
firm had used Rp 3.1 billion to finance the deliberation of the
manpower bill between July and September this year.

Abdillah said the funds, taken from the company's budget
allotted for protection of workers and membership expenditure,
were disbursed upon Latief's request. The minister had allegedly
originally asked for Rp 7.1 billion.

Former minister of home affairs Rudini supported yesterday the
call for the authorities to question Minister of Manpower Abdul
Latief. He said it would calm workers who were disappointed with
the alleged misuse of Jamsostek funds.

"The investigation of Latief will be favorable to the state's
security and order," he said after addressing a discussion on the
post monetary crisis held by the Association of Indonesian
Political Scientists here.

He said he opposed Latief's decision to use Jamsostek's money
to finance the deliberation of the manpower bill.

"The insurance scheme is intended to protect Indonesian
workers," he said. "Each cent of Jamsostek's funds should be used
only for the workers' benefit."

Criminal law expert Muladi said prosecutors could not charge
House legislators with corruption for taking the money provided
by Jamsostek.

"Corruption charges will be used against people who abuse
their power to collect money. But those who receive some of the
money face no legal consequences because we cannot presume they
took illegal money," Muladi said.

However, he said the recipients of allegedly illegal money
faced a moral burden. "It's up to them whether to return the
money or not," he said.

Muladi said the House legislators did not only take bribes
because they received the money from Jamsostek. "The Criminal
Code says bribery is intended to lure somebody to break the law,"
he said.

"The fact is that Jamsostek provided the funds for good
purposes," he added.

Another legal expert, Soetandyo Wignyosoebroto, said he was
afraid the Jamsostek row had plunged the House into further
disrepute.

"Don't blame the public for being cynical to the House. The
shameful scandal is enough to answer why people have so far
lacked respect for the House," he said. (10/har/imn/amd)