Nazaruddin 'met with KPK officials to negotiate cases'

Graft fugitive and dismissed Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin said Wednesday he met with high-ranking Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officials to "talk about cases the KPK were investigating".

Nazaruddin said he once met with KPK deputy for enforcement Insp. Gen. Ade Rahardja in June 2010 to talk about an investigation on a project at the Home Ministry centering on the procurement of security officer uniforms for the next general elections.

"The value of the project is Rp 400 billion [US$47.2 million]," Nazaruddin told journalists including The Jakarta Post through the Blackberry messenger service.

He said that, in some of his meetings with KPK officials, he was accompanied by lawmakers from the Democratic Party such as Saan Mustopa and Benny Kabur Harman.

"In the first meeting, Ade was accompanied by Johan Budi. Johan was not involved in the next meetings. Ade was then with Roni [during meetings with me]," Nazaruddin said, referring to Ade Rahardja, KPK spokesman Johan Budi, and a KPK investigator, Roni Samtana.

Nazaruddin also mentioned other cases that had been "discussed" with Ade, including a corruption case allegedly involving the Bandung mayor and another case allegedly involving the Kutai Timur regent.

Ade has admitted having met twice with Nazaruddin but denied negotiations made on the KPK cases.

Johan confirmed he had been asked by Ade to accompany the latter "meet with somebody, I don't remember whether he was Nazaruddin".

Nazaruddin fled Indonesia after it was revealed he was involved in corruption linked with the construction of the SEA Games athlete dormitory building.