A suspect in an alleged bribery case related to Miranda Goeltom’s 2004 election as BI’s senior deputy governor has vowed to cooperate with investigators, but asked the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) give him full protection.

Former Golkar’s legislator Hamka Yandhu, one of the four suspects named by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday, said Thursday he wanted a guarantee he would be protected if he testified.

“In my previous case, I received a letter from the LPSK that guaranteed my safety. That was what gave me the courage to testify in court,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Hamka and several other legislators were found guilty of receiving bribes from Bank Indonesia (BI) officials to smooth the central bank liquidity assistance (BLBI) settlement and accelerate the amendment of a BI Law in 2003.

When he testified in the trial involving several BI senior officials, including former central bank governor Burhanuddin Abdullah, he revealed the money was disbursed to 52 legislators, including Paskah Suzetta, the current state minister for the national development planning board (Bapennas) and Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban.

On Tuesday, the KPK declared Hamka, along with Dudhie Makmun Murod of the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Endin A.J. Soefihara from the United Development Party (PPP) and Udju Djuhaeri of the Indonesian Military faction, as suspects in a new bribery case related to Miranda S. Goeltom’s election as BI’s senior deputy governor in June 2004.

On Wednesday, the first whistle-blower in the case, also former legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Agus Tjondro Prayitno, revealed that almost all members of the PDI-P faction at the House of Representatives had received money in return for voting for Miranda in 2004.

Agus admitted to the KPK and the Corruption Court that he had received Rp 500 million (US$49,900) in traveler’s checks a few days after the House elected Miranda as the central bank’s senior deputy

governor.

Miranda was elected after 41 out of 54 members of commission IX overseeing financial and banking voted for her. Almost all of the PDI-P’s 17 commission members, 15 Golkar legislators and several other legislators from other factions, ended up voting for Miranda.

Hamka said he expected the LPSK to give him a similar guarantee in his latest case, to ensure

he would cooperate with the investigators.

LPSK deputy chairman Ketut Sudiarsa said anyone could get protection from the agency.

“His testimony can be used when judges decide whether to lighten his sentence.”

KPK also said a person called “N”, who was a close relative of a former public official, had distributed the traveler’s checks to the House members.

KPK questioned Nunun A. Daradjatun, wife of former police deputy chief Adang Daradjatun, in October last year because the commission believed she knew something about the checks’ distribution to legislators.

Hamka refused to reveal more names at this stage, as he had not received a letter confirming his status as a suspect in the case.

Popular

Rethinking Indonesia’s food self-sufficiency post-Davos

Attempt to smuggle thousands of birds into Bali thwarted

BI appointee Tommy suggests pro-growth stance in monetary policy