Andi, Muhaimin denied extorting Rosa

Muhaimin Iskandar: Abdul Qodir/Tribunnews.comYouth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng has denied the allegation that he was the minister that graft convict Mindo Rosa Manulang referred to as the minister who attempted to extort kick-backs from a businesswoman.

The statement was similar to the denial issued by Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar two days ago.

“It was not me, for sure,” Andi said in his answer to Nazaruddin’s lawyer Hotman Paris on Wednesday. “I do not know Rosa.”

Andi appeared in court as a witness against former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, who is now on trial for bid-rigging in a Rp 191 billion project to build an athletes’ village for last year’s SEA Games in exchange for Rp 4.6 billion in bribes.

Rosa had been found guilty for helping Nazaruddin in securing PT Duta Graha Indah as the bid winner.

Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar was summoned to testify in a different graft case that didn’t involve Nazaruddin or Rosa.

The ministers’ remark wasn’t in harmony with previous statement made by Mindo “Rosa” Rosalina Manulang, the former confidante of bribery defendant Muhammad Nazaruddin, who said through her lawyer that a minister had asked for an 8 percent “fee” upon offering a “big project” to her.

Rosa’s lawyer, Ahmad Rivai claimed on Sunday that Rosa did not approve the request. Rivai, however, refused to disclose the identity of the minister or the details of the project.

Rivai hinted that the minister would testify as “a witness at the Jakarta Corruption Court this week” but refused to confirm whether the minister had actually received the fee.