Travel ban sought for ex-ministers

BANDUNG: The Provincial Prosecutor's Office in West Java has asked the attorney general to impose a travel ban on two former forestry ministers and a businessman for their alleged involvement in a past illegal exchange deal of state land in Purwakarta.

The former ministers, Hasjrul Harahap and Djamaludin Suryo Hadikusumo, who served under former president Soeharto, and renowned tycoon Antony Salim are charged with ignoring the value of land when they made the deal back in 1993, head of the Provincial Prosecutor's Office Harprileny Soebiantoro said on Saturday.

Quoting the Development Finance Comptroller Agency (BPKP), Soebiantoro said the irregularities cost the state at least Rp 144 billion.

The 2,000 hectares of plot belonged to the state forestry company Perum Perhutani when it was swapped for land belonging to Antony in Malimping, Lebak district, also in West Java.

"Besides abandoning the actual plot price, the deal was not made under proper justification from a special committee which assesses the land's value," Soebiantoro said.

He added his office would soon question several former high- ranking officials, including former director general of budgetary affairs Benyamin Prawoto and former Perhutani directors Hendarsun and Harmanto. (25/edt)