The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday named four suspects in a bribery case relating to Miranda Goeltom’s 2004 election as Bank Indonesia’s senior deputy governor.

“The case was handed down to our investigation team on Monday and so far, we have identified four suspects in the case: HY, UD, DMM and ES,” said KPK deputy chairman M. Jasin.

The four suspects include Hamka Yandhu from the Golkar Party, Dudhie Makmun Murod from the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Udju Djuhaeri from the Indonesian Military faction and Endin A.J. Soefihara from the United Development Party (PPP).

Dudhie is a member of Commission VI for trade and industry affairs, while Endin is a member of Commission XI for finance and banking affairs.

Udju is now an official at the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), while Hamka is currently serving his three-and-a-half year jail term for his involvement in another Bank Indonesia bribery case.

“We have found two pieces of evidence strengthening the case against them,” said Jasin, adding the suspects would be charged with violating articles 5 and 11 of Law No. 20/2001 on gratuity or article 12 (b) on bribery.

The case was revealed after former PDI-P lawmaker Agus Tjondro Prayitno admitted before the antigraft body and the Corruption Court last year that he had received Rp 500 million (US$50,000) in traveler’s cheques a few days after the House of Representatives approved Miranda’s appointment as BI’s senior deputy governor.

Jasin pointed out that more suspects might be involved in the case, “but this will be revealed during further investigation of the four suspects.”

He also said the commission had identified the person who had disbursed the cheques.

“The person who disbursed the cheques is N. N is still a witness in the case.

Further investigation is still required,” he said referring to somebody who was close to a public official.

He implied the investigation would likely involve Miranda Goeltom in the end, but it would depend on the result of the suspects’ planned interrogation.

Jasin acknowledged the four suspects allegedly received traveler’s cheques worth Rp 24 billion from N and the 50-member former commission IX for finance and banking affairs each gained Rp 500 million.

The Financial Transaction Reports Analysis Center’s (PPATK) 2008 report revealed 102 people cashed in 400 traveler’s cheques following the BI’s senior deputy election in June 2004.

“Around 10 lawmakers cashed in the cheques personally,” PPATK head Yunus Setiawan said in a public service campaign at the Bidakara building.

When asked to comment on the four suspects, Agus, the case’s whistle-blower, expressed relief, saying this proved his report on the alleged bribery was not slander.

Emerson Yuntho of the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) congratulated the antigraft body on its performance,following the arrest of KPK Chairman Antashari Azhar this March.

“This is a surprise. This is exactly what the public wants, namely a golden era after Antasari Azhar,” he said.

However, he called on the antigraft body to come down hard on high-profile officials allegedly involved in numerous graft cases.

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