Soeharto okays questioning of top officials

Soeharto okays questioning of top officials

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has cleared the way for the
Attorney General's Office to question three former top government
officials in connection with the investigation of the Rp 1.3
trillion loan scam at Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo).

Attorney General Singgih told reporters yesterday after
meeting with the head of state at the Merdeka Palace that he has
been given permission by Soeharto to question Sudomo, J.B.
Sumarlin and Nasruddin Sumintapura, but strictly as "witnesses."

The three men, all members of the cabinet until March 1993,
have been implicated in the losses at the government-owned bank
as the scandal continues to unfold.

Sudomo, now the chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council, was
coordinating minister of political affairs and security.
Sumarlin, now head of the Supreme Audit Body, was finance
minister. Nasrudin was junior finance minister.

There have been allegations that the three played a role in
putting pressure on Bapindo executives to grant loans to
businessman Eddy Tansil in 1989.

Tansil and five Bapindo executives are now under arrest.

The three men are not under arrest but their testimony is
relevant to supporting the government's case against the six
suspects in the court trials, Singgih said, adding that
Soeharto's consent was necessary given their positions.

Altogether, the government investigators have lined up 20
witnesses for the Bapindo trials, in which the Attorney General's
office will be looking for convictions under the official
corruption law.

He said the three men had all responded to written questions
presented by his staff, but he declined to elaborate on their
contents.

He did not rule out the possibility of the three testifying in
court saying that much will depend on how the trial unfolds.

Asked on the likelihood that the government will also
prosecute Sudomo, Sumarlin and Nasrudin, Singgih responded:
"There are only six suspects as of today."

He added however that the government will not protect top
government officials if they are found to have been involved in
the scandal.

Reference

Sudomo has publicly acknowledged writing a letter of reference
to Bapindo in support of Tansil's application for loans but has
denied any wrongdoing, stressing that Bapindo directors were
still free to turn the loan application down.

Singgih said that for "technical reasons," the first trials,
which were originally expected to begin this month, have now been
delayed and that his office would only hand its information to
the courts at the end of April.

Singgih also repeated another appeal from President Soeharto
to the press to refrain from conducting its own "trial," his
third since the massive scandal drew the attention of the press
in January.

The President was particularly concerned about the effects of
the press reports on the families of suspects and witnesses.
"Show some compassion for their families," Singgih quoted
Soeharto as saying.

On a separate occasion, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono
disclosed yesterday that his office plans to announce some
details of the Bapindo case to the public.

The briefing will be held this week, he said, without being
specific. (02/par)