Graft body gets delayed access to Amin office

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 04/28/2008 11:42 AM  |  Headlines

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will search the office of detained lawmaker Al Amin Nasution on Monday, after a delay the body fears may have allowed for the removal of documents important to the case.

KPK deputy chairman Moch. Jasin said here Sunday investigators would finally be permitted by the House of Representatives to search the office of Amin, a bribery suspect.

"We canceled our search of the office last Tuesday because the House did not allow us (access)," he told The Jakarta Post.

Jasin said the graft body was supposed to search the office as soon as it obtained permission from the Corruption Court to prevent the disappearance of important evidence.

"I am afraid that we will lose some important documents because we have delayed the search," he said.

"But I hope that no irresponsible people have hidden or removed the necessary documents."

Jasin said the House also demanded the KPK submit written notification about the planned search of the lawmaker's office.

The House had been heavily criticized for blocking the KPK's search of the office of Amin, a lawmaker with the United Development Party (PPP).

The KPK had insisted it did not need permission from the House to search the office of any lawmaker named a suspect in a corruption investigation.

Jasin said the KPK planned to search the offices of other lawmakers allegedly involved in Amin's bribery case.

"But we have to wait for permission from the House if we want to search other offices there," he said.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi said legislators, including members of the House's disciplinary council, would be allowed to supervise the commission's search of Amin's office on Monday.

"They don't have to be anxious because they will know which documents are taken by investigators," he said.

The graft body arrested Amin and Bintan administration secretary Azirwan on April 9. Amin was detained for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rp 4 million (US$434) from Azirwan.

Investigators also confiscated Rp 67 million in cash from Amin during the arrest. An additional S$33,000 was seized as well, but the KPK has yet to determine whether the money is connected to the alleged bribery.

Amin is a member of House Commission IV overseeing forestry, agriculture, plantations and fisheries.

The bribery case is connected to a request from the Bintan administration in Riau Islands province for approval by the House to convert around 200 hectares of a 7,300-hectare conservation forest into an office complex.

The arrests were made just hours after Commission IV endorsed the proposal at a meeting also attended by Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban. (ewd)

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