Officials slap former health minister with travel ban

The Immigration Office has issued travel bans for former health minister Achmad Sujudi and other non-active ministry officials as part of a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigation into the embezzlement of funds from a medical equipment procurement project.

Investigations Director of the Immigration Directorate General at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry Muchdor said Wednesday that his office had prohibited the suspects from traveling overseas for one year at the behest of the KPK.

“We also forbid Sri Astuti Supramanto and Achmad Hardiman from going abroad until March 2010,” he said as quoted by state news agency Antara.
 
Sri is the former director-general of medical services while Achmad, currently the director of the Mitra Menteng Afia Hospital, is the former director of medical services.

The Immigration Office previously issued similar travel bans to former director of PT Kimia Farma Gunawan Pranoto, director of Kimia Farma Suharno and Rifa Jaya Mulya President Director Rinaldi Yusuf.
 
The KPK has declared Gunawan and Rinaldi suspects in the embezzlement of money from an X-ray procurement project that caused Rp 71 billion (US$ 5.1 million) in state losses. (ewd)