Sidiq absent from trial

JAKARTA: Graft suspect Abdullah Sidiq Muin failed to appear at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday due to illness, his lawyer Budi Santoso said.

Budi said that Sidiq, an Islamic boarding school leader in Kediri, East Java, needed serious medical treatment for his heart problem.

Sidiq is on trial for alleged fraud of Rp 15 billion (US$1.79 million) in 2001, as reported by convict Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the youngest son of former president Soeharto.

Tommy, who testified last week after being called seven times, said that he did not know Sidiq. He claimed that he had done business only with Raden Dody Sumadi, who claimed to be a close aide of then president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.

Tuesday's trial was adjourned until March 5 to hear testimony from Gus Dur, Iskandar and Tommy's sister, Siti "Tutut" Hardiyanti Rukmana. -- JP