Sussongko grilled in KPU graft probe

JAKARTA: Acting secretary general of the General Elections Commission (KPU) Sussongko Suhardjo was questioned for a second time by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday as a witness into alleged corruption in the provision of the 2004 general elections guidebook.

Head of the general affairs division of the KPU, Bambang Budiharto, was the main suspect in the case. KPK alleges that the Rp 30 billion (US$3.06 million) used to produce the election guidebook had been marked-up, causing the state to suffer some Rp 17 billion in losses.

Sussongko declined to provide comment to the press, but his lawyer Budiman Pamungkas told reporters last week that during the first questioning Sussongko had confirmed that expenses to produce the book had been marked-up.

Sussongko himself is also a suspect in a high profile bribery case, that may lead to the unveiling of massive corruption at the KPU. -- Antara