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unior attorney general for internal monitoring Marwan Effendy has criticized Attorney General Hendarman Supandji for asking a business tycoon to pay Rp 1 trillion in recompense for state money lost in a ministry website graft case.

Marwan said the state losses incurred in the graft case had been only Rp 420 billion (US$47.04 million) as recorded by the State Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).

Prosecutors do not have the authority to willfully raise the amount of financial losses born by the state in alleged graft cases, he said.

The Supreme Court fixed the losses at Rp 378 billion. The website booked a total profit of Rp 420 billion during the nine years it was operating. The site, operated by the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, issued notarized acts and allowed companies to register for permits.

The website is operated by PT Sarana Rekatama Dinamika (SRD), which is owned by Hartono Tanoesoedibyo.

“The amount to be repaid should be based on evidence,” Marwan
said. “The country is in danger if anyone can willfully determine [state losses].”

Attorney General Hendarman Supandji reportedly ordered Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes Muhammad Amari to deliver a message saying that Hartono, a principal suspect in the case, should hand over Rp 1 trillion in compensation for state losses.

Amari relayed the message via Hartono’s brother, media mogul Hary Tanoesoedibyo, as quoted by kompas.com.

He added that Amari should not have met directly with Hary to discuss the sum to be repaid but should have resorted to formal measures. “The act has caused a polemic, problems and prejudices to rise which some may take advantage of,” he said.

“We might end up missing the point of the case, which is proving Yusril and Hartono’s involvement.”

Yusril Ihza Mahendra, another suspect in the case, was the justice and human rights minister when the website went online.

However, Marwan said the meeting did not violate any regulations. “We’re currently focusing strictly on the case because we are afraid that outside parties will take advantage of the situation by making statements.”

Marwan’s statement came amid circulating rumors that he is competing against Amari to replace Hendarman, whose position as an Attorney General has become the subject of intense scrutiny.

However, Marwan refuted the rumors, saying that he had appointed Amari to his current post. Marwan was the Special Crimes Attorney General before he was appointed
to Internal Monitoring Attorney General.

Hendarman said Marwan had shown great ability in his previous position but had been replaced because Amari was younger.(gzl)