Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto says he is not troubled by his foundation being cited in a controversial book linking President Yudhoyono with the Bank Century bailout.
The controversial book, Membongkar Gurita Cikeas: Di Balik Skandal Bank Century (Unmasking the Cikeas Octopus: Behind the Bank Century Scandal), was written by George Junus Aditjondro.
Djoko, chief patron of the Social Concern and Solidarity Foundation, said George only speculated the foundation had been used to mobilize support for Yudhoyono’s re-election, but this was not confirmed in the book.
“The foundation will not publish another book to counter it [George’s book],” Djoko told reporters before a limited Cabinet meeting at the presidential office.
“We’ve sent clarification through to Arwin Rasyid [the foundation chairman].”
Djoko said it was OK to raise such concerns and that it was enough for the foundation to clarify the
matter.
“And here is my clarification: It’s not true, not a single cent from the foundation was channeled to presidential election activities,” he said.
“This is nonsense. It is 1,000 percent untrue.”
Djoko jokingly added the book served as a free advertisement for the foundation because it mentioned the foundation’s social activities.
The foundation is among several organizations that George accuses in his book of mobilizing funds for Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party during the legislative and presidential elections earlier this year.
National news agency Antara, among other organizations, sent George a warning letter and vowed not to withdraw it until he revised a section of the book saying that Antara had also directed funds to Yudhoyono’s campaign team.
George has refused to bow to the pressure and officially launched the book on Wednesday.
The Social Concern and Solidarity Foundation has also been accused of receiving funds from Djoko Tjandra, a fugitive in the Bank Bali corruption case.
Djoko played down the issue, saying he would not mind even if the foundation had received the funds.
“So what? Would the money make the foundation bad?” asked Djoko, who was deputy head of Yudhoyono’s campaign team for the July 8 presidential election.
“George’s suspicion that some of the foundation’s funds were used for the presidential election is
baseless.”
He further explained that he did not know the names of people who had donated their money through the foundation because it was open to the public and the foundation received donations through bank accounts.
The minister also denied allegations there was a conflict of interest between the management of the foundation, saying he was not a government official, but merely a recently retired military officer.
Djoko, a fighter pilot, is a retired four-star marshal who led the Indonesian Military (TNI) in 2006-2007 and the Indonesian Air Force in 2005-2006.
The House of Representatives has set up an inquiry committee to look into the Bank Century case and decide whether the government violated any laws in relation to the bailout.
Meanwhile, the Corruption Eradication Commission has focused its investigation on possible corruption.
