Graft body questions BI boss for second time

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 02/26/2008 12:49 PM  |  National

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah for a second time Monday over the misappropriation of Rp 100 billion (US$10.81 million) in central bank funds.

Burhanuddin arrived at the KPK's office in Jakarta at 9:40 a.m. He was questioned by the graft body for about three-and-a-half hours, leaving the office at 1:30 p.m.

"I have just finished giving more explanations as a witness in the graft case," Burhanuddin told journalists during a brief press conference.

He said he would attend a third questioning session later this week, adding that he could not elaborate on the questions he was asked by the commission.

"I just hope the KPK can solve this problem quickly," he said.

Burhanuddin, in appearing for his first round of questioning last Wednesday, was accompanied by dozens of central bank employees, who offered him moral support.

On Monday, Burhanuddin was surrounded by more guards to keep journalists back. Again, dozens of central bank employees were on hand to provide support.

A spokesman for the corruption body, Johan Budi, said the KPK questioned Burhanuddin as a witness over Bank Indonesia legal affairs director Oey Hoey Tiong's alleged involvement in the graft case.

"We plan to question Burhanuddin again this week, but we don't know yet whether he will be questioned as a witness or as a suspect," Johan said, without saying when the questioning was scheduled.

He said the commission had not yet questioned any of the judges and prosecutors allegedly involved in the case due to a lack of evidence.

"We cannot summon them if we don't have enough evidence," he said.

The KPK has named Burhanuddin a suspect in the case, along with Oey and former BI communications bureau chief, now head of the central bank's Surabaya branch, Rusli Simanjuntak.

Separately, Immigration officer Syaiful Rachman said the immigration office has issued a travel ban to lawmaker Hamka Yamdhu as requested by KPK.

"The travel ban takes effect today and last for a year," he said as quoted by Antara.

Hamka is one of lawmakers being implicated in the graft case. Anthony Zeidra Abidin, a former House member who is now Jambi's Deputy Governor, has also received a travel ban for being linked in the case.

According to a Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) report, the scandal started when a meeting of the central bank Board of Governors in 2003, led by Burhanuddin and attended by former deputy governor Aulia Pohan, agreed to disburse Rp 100 billion in Indonesian Banking Development Foundation (YPPI) funds to help cover legal expenses relating to bank liquidity litigation.

Previous KPK questioning found that Oey distributed Rp 68.5 billion, supposedly to pay lawyers, to several central bank officials involved in the liquidity support cases.

Rusli allegedly passed the remaining Rp 31.5 billion to several members of House of Representatives Commission IX (now Commission XI) overseeing financial affairs during the amendment of the law on the central bank. All of the money was disbursed between 2003 and 2004.

Oey and Rusli have been detained since Feb. 14. (ewd)

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