No new lawmakers named in BI case

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 02/22/2008 5:00 PM  |  National

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has yet to summon more members of the House of Representatives allegedly involved in Bank Indonesia (BI) graft case due to lack of evidence, an official said Thursday.

"We will not call any new witnesses if we don't have enough evidence," KPK spokesman Johan Budi told reporters.

A report from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) said over 10 active and former lawmakers were implicated in the misappropriation of BI funds worth about Rp 100 billion (US$10.81 million).

Some Rp 68.5 billion was used to hire lawyers for resolution of the BI Liquidity Support (BLBI) case, while Rp 31.5 billion was allegedly given to several members of the House's Commission IX (now Commission XI) overseeing financial affairs during the amendment of the law on finance.

Thus far, KPK has questioned only two former members of Commission IX as witnesses: Anthony Zeidra Abidin, who is now Jambi deputy governor, and active lawmaker Hamka Yamdhu.

Also on Thursday, KPK questioned former BI deputy governors Maulana Ibrahim and Maman H. Sumantri as witnesses, both for the first time.

"Their explanations will be helpful for further investigation," Johan said.

He said the KPK planned to question the central bank's Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah again next week.

"We have no plan to arrest Burhanuddin yet. We need to question him to develop the case," he said.

Separately, the Constitutional Court held its first court session to examine the BI Law and the KPK Law as requested by BI's team of lawyers.

The 2004 law on BI stipulates the KPK cannot question BI governors without the President's consent. The 2004 KPK Law, in contrast, states the KPK may question anyone, including state officials, without the President's permission.

One of the judges, H.A. Mukhtie Fadjar, said the lawyers had wrongly classified the case under the state dispute category.

"They should put it under the judicial review category," he said, adding that the judges would give the lawyers a maximum of two weeks to correct the request.

One of BI's lawyers, A. Dani Salisawijaya, said his team would discuss the matter and consider the judges' suggestions.

The KPK has named Burhanuddin, BI legal affairs director Oey Hoey Tiong and former BI communication bureau head Rusli Simanjutak as suspects in the case, with the last two already detained.

Oey is being held at the Jakarta Police headquarters on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, while Rusli is at the Mobile Brigade Detention Center in Kelapa Dua, Depok.

The KPK has issued a travel ban on several active and former BI officials, including former BI governors Soedrajat Djiwandono and Syahril Sabirin, and former deputy governors Aulia Pohan, Aslim Tadjuddin, Bun Bunan Hutapea, Maman H. Soemantri and Iwan Prawiranata. (ewd)

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