Sumarlin ready to answer summons to testify
JAKARTA (JP): "I am ready and willing to testify in a court of law," J.B. Sumarlin, chairman of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), told reporters after one hour of questioning at the Attorney General's Office yesterday morning.
Sumarlin, dressed in a dark-blue suit, arrived in a chauffeured silver Toyota sedan at 7:55 a.m. to give testimony for the ongoing investigation of the Rp 1.3 trillion (US$620 million) loan fraud at the State Development Bank of Indonesia (Bapindo).
Sumarlin, who was the finance minister and supervisor of Bapindo when the loans were approved and disbursed between 1989 and 1992, told newsmen that he had responded to the summons of Attorney General Singgih to give additional information on the circumstances surrounding the credit fraud.
Sumarlin is alleged to have pressured Bapindo's board of directors to approve the loans to businessman Eddy Tansil, who is currently in custody as the main suspect in the case.
Sumarlin submitted a written statement last month in answer to 25 written questions from the Attorney General's Office.
Sumarlin told newsmen after the questioning yesterday that he gave his statements under oath, implying that he might not have to appear at the coming trial if the Attorney General's Office assesses his testimony as being sufficient.
He reaffirmed a remark he made after meeting with President Soeharto on Thursday last week that he had from the outset fully supported the investigations into the alleged loan scandal.
"I testified with a high sense of responsibility," Sumarlin said in reply to questions about his feelings about being questioned as a witness about suspected fraud at a state bank under his supervision.
Sumarlin refused to go into any detail about his suspected role in the issuance of the Bapindo loans. Neither would he address questions as to whether he had really pressured the Bapindo management into extending the loans to Eddy and his Golden Key Group without the proper credit procedures.
Singgih, who accompanied Sumarlin when he was replying to newsmen's questions, said the testimony, which was taken under oath, was done in line with the judicial system and the procedures of investigation applied to all citizens, irrespective of their official status.
Singgih said another reason for the official recording of his statements at the Attorney General's Office was to allow Sumarlin, who is a high level official, to perform his official tasks, including going on overseas missions, without having to take the time to testify in court.
Singgih added that the written testimony and the additional information provided by Sumarlin yesterday would enable the coming trial of the suspects in the loan scandal to go on even though Sumarlin, due to unexpected developments, might not be able to testify in future court trials.
Of the three high ranking officials alleged to have been influential in getting Eddy's credit applications approved, only Nasrudin Sumintapura, the former junior minister of finance, has not been questioned directly by investigators.
Sudomo, chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council, was the first of the high level officials to be summoned by the Attorney General's Office to give additional information to supplement the written testimony he earlier provided in responding to written questions.
Sudomo, who was the coordinating minister for political and security affairs when the loan scam occurred, testified before investigators last Friday.
Five former Bapindo executives are now detained, together with Eddy Tansil, as suspects in the loan fraud. They are Subekti Ismaun, Towil Heryoto and Sjahrizal, all former bank presidents, Bambang Kuntjoro, a former director, and Maman Suparman, former Jakarta deputy manager for Bapindo. (02)