Travel ban sought for ex-ministers

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)