Miranda denies role in 2004 bribery case

Former Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor Miranda S. Goeltom dismissed Wednesday allegations that she was involved in a bribery case related to her election as the central bank’s second top post in 2004.

Speaking after seven hours of questioning at the Corruption Eradication Commission, Miranda said she never gave anything to others in connection with her election by members of the House of Representatives’ Commission IX on finance.

“I was asked if I had ever given anything and I said no,” Miranda said.

She said he answered only five questions during the marathon interrogation, mostly about her platform she presented to the lawmakers during the selection process. “I showed investigators a copy of the platform,” she said.

She denied any acquaintance with whistle blower Agus Condro, then a House lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) who has confessed to receiving Rp 500 million after voting for Miranda.

Agus, however, insisted that she met Miranda several times prior to and after her election. He said he met Miranda at a hotel in South Jakarta in July 2004 when she was introduced to the Commission IX members from PDI-P. The meeting ended with a deal to vote for Miranda, Agus said.

PDI-P politician Dudhie Makmun Murod, Endin A.J. Soefihara of the United Development Party and Hamka Yandhu of the Golkar Party have been named suspects in the case.