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Yusril grilled over bribery case
Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 09/26/2008 10:59 AM | National
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned former State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra on Thursday in connection with his meeting with Lippo Group executive Billy Sindoro, a suspect in a bribery case.
"He was summoned to help our investigation into the case. We will know his capacity and role in the case after we interrogate him," KPK chairman Antasari Azhar told reporters, adding that he hoped Yusril's testimony would prove useful to the investigation.
The anti-corruption body recently arrested Billy, former president director of PT First Media, for giving Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) member Muhammad Iqbal some Rp 500 million (US$53,191) as an alleged bribe.
After being questioned, Yusril confirmed he had met twice with Billy, including hours before Billy's arrest at a hotel in Central Jakarta.
"On September 16 (2008) at around 10.30 a.m. pak Billy called me and said he wanted to meet me".
Billy later came to Yusril's office at his law firm to say that Lippo Group was interested in being represented by the firm, Yusril said.
"He asked if the group could be a client for two years, how much the fee would be and about the nature of the procedures, so we explained everything to him. He left after 20 minutes," Yusril told the press.
He said that at 1.30 p.m., Billy called him again to arrange a second meeting.
"So he came again and we talked for no more than five minutes."
He said Billy had also asked him whether he knew former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammad and a person named Krisnan in Malaysia.
"I know nothing about anyone named Krisnan but I do know Mahathir. But when I asked him what was going on with Mahathir, he only said he would tell me later and then he left," Yusril said.
Yusril said he had read in the next day's newspaper that Billy and Iqbal had been arrested by the KPK for bribery charges.
The Rp 500 million alleged bribe was paid by Billy in connection with a KPPU ruling on a monopoly accusation over rights to air English Premier League soccer matches.
The KPPU went on to acquit Astro TV operator PT Direct Vision, a subsidiary of Lippo Group's First Media, where Billy had previously served as president director.
