Susilo demands poison lab test

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Suspicious of being poisoned just like human rights activist Munir, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sent a sample of the sugar used in his tea to the National Police forensics laboratory after deciding the tea tasted a little peculiar.

Susilo suspected that the sugar used in the tea contained arsenic, a strong poison that was also thought in be in Vice President Jusuf Kalla's noodles in December last year but which turned out to be a false alarm.

Arsenic, a poisonous element that has the same appearance as refined sugar, was not found in the sugar sample sent to the forensics laboratory, as announced by National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar on Monday.

Arsenic is commonly used as poison due to its "normal" appearance and its fast effect. It does not alter the taste of food or drink. Therefore, if it were added to a cup of tea, the tea would taste no differently.

Deputy chief of detectives Insp. Gen. Dadang Garnida also confirmed that the forensics laboratory had tested the sugar sample and concluded that it contained no poison.

"It was just plain pure sugar," Dadang said.

According to Dadang, the sample was sent to the laboratory on Friday, just after the President commented that his tea tasted different.

The police, however, denied they had questioned a waiter who served the President tea on Friday morning at the presidential office.

There have been reports that the waiter was taken into custody by the presidential guards (Paspampres) after Susilo.