Ten corruption cases alluded to at Pertamina

Ten corruption cases alluded to at Pertamina

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman hinted on
Friday evening of 10 corruption cases in dubious projects at
state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina.

"Several cases which we are currently focusing on, involve the
children and cronies of former president Soeharto," he told
journalists after a meeting with the new Minister of Energy and
Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Pertamina president
Baihaki Hakim.

Marzuki said that out of 14 cases submitted to his office by
Baihaki early last month, one contract was not considered tainted
by corruption while three others which involved former mines and
energy minister Ginandjar Kartasasmita were still under
investigation.

Ginandjar was believed to have been involved in contracts with
indications of corruption for the development of the Balongan
refinery in Indramayu, West Jawa; the selection of Paiton Energy
for the power purchase contract in East Java; and the contract
agreement with U.S-based oil company Arco.

Now, Arco has merged with the British-U.S-based Beyond
Petroleum, formerly known as British Petroleum.

Marzuki said one case involved insurance company Tugu Pratama,
whose 35 percent of shares belongs to the Nusamba Group owned by
timber tycoon Mohammad "Bob" Hasan, who was once Soeharto's
golfing-mate.

However, he said, Pertamina was currently still handling the
case and has yet to hand over the investigation to the Attorney
General's Office.

"Among other cases, we will soon investigate a project
involving Ustra Indo, a company owned by Tutut and Tommy," he
said, referring to Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti
Rukmana and youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra respectively.

Earlier in the day, dozens of members of the Community
Association for Humanity and Justice (Humanika) staged a rally at
the Attorney General's Office, expressing their disappointment on
Marzuki's performance in handling corruption cases.

They threw several rotten eggs, hitting the symbol of justice
installed at the office's front gate.

With caricatures depicting Marzuki's "relationship" with
suspects of the high profile Bank Bali scandal and owners of the
defunct banks whose cases are currently in the hands of the state
prosecutors, they forced their way through to reach Marzuki's
room.

They delivered speeches expressing their disappointment on
Marzuki's work in handling corruption cases, including
Soeharto's, accusing Marzuki of having received bribes. They
demanded he resign.

After staging the rally for an hour, they burned a framed
Marzuki caricature in front of the building before leaving the
compound. (bby)