Yusril, Anwar in row over graft case

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Another war of words between senior state officials over corruption surfaced on Thursday, this time involving State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) chairman Anwar Nasution.

Apparently angered over Anwar's statement about indications of graft in the State Secretariat, Yusril said the country's chief auditor "used the logic of an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver."

Yusril said that neither he nor the administrators of a number of assets belonging to the State Secretary in Senayan and Kemayoran had done anything wrong, although he admitted that mistakes had been made in the past.

"The directors only took office a few months ago. Anwar mentioned past cases. They, morally and legally, have nothing to be afraid of, just like me," Yusril told reporters.

Saying that Anwar was not "professional as an auditor", Yusril alleged that the BPK head's statement was "politicized".

When asked on Tuesday about what kind of irregularities he had found in the management of assets belonging to the State Secretariat, Anwar said "even an ojek driver knows about it".

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stepped in on Wednesday to mediate in a feud between Chief Justice Bagir Manan and Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) director Taufiekurrahman Ruki, which came to the fore after Bagir failed to comply with a KPK summons for questioning in connection with a bribery case involving businessman Probosutedjo.

When Constitutional Court chief Jimly Asshiddiqie wrote to the President, warning the government of a possible constitutional violation in its decision to raise fuel prices by an average of 126 percent in October, Yusril said Jimly was not an ustadz (ulema).

Yusril said he was disappointed with Anwar's statement, which had prompted the President to ask Yusril about the alleged corruption in the State Secretariat.

Yusril also denied allegations that his office and the managers of the State Secretariat's assets had not cooperated with the auditors.

"Who was not cooperative? We have no sins here. We're not afraid," Yusril asserted defiantly.  Anwar had earlier criticized the administrators of the state assets in Kemayoran for failing to cooperate with the auditors.

Yusril said his office could not provide some documents needed by the BPK on time as they had been submitted to the KPK for inspection.