Sofjan questioned as witness

JAKARTA: Investigators from the Attorney General's Office questioned businessman Sofjan Wanandi for five hours on Wednesday as a witness to alleged loan abuse by now-defunct Bank Dana Hutama.

The investigation revealed that Sofjan, as the commissioner, signed the application to receive an emergency loan from Bank Indonesia during the financial crisis in 1998, but some of the money went to the bank's affiliated businesses.

Some of the companies belong to Sofjan, including PT Pakarti Yoga, the office's spokesman Barman Zahir said.

PT Pakarti had swiftly pulled Rp 8.25 billion from its account in the bank. The bank's funds had been covered by the government, he said.

Investigators estimated losses to the state totaled Rp 84 billion, but creditors to the bank had closed their loan in installments to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency.

Sofjan claimed that the loan extension to the bank's affiliated groups was in compliance with the central bank's procedures and regulations.

"I've told the investigators all I know. I hope there were no losses to the state as a result of this matter. I think I'm clean," he told reporters, after being questioned. -- JP