Yusril riled by BPK graft allegations

Yusril riled by BPK graft allegations

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.