KPK questions Neneng on the roles of 2 Malaysian nationals

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned Neneng Sri Wahyuni on Friday concerning the roles of the two Malaysian citizens who reportedly accompanied her to Indonesia.

The two Malaysians were identified as Razmi bin Muhammad Yusof and Hasan bin Kushi.

The KPK said that the two Malaysian citizens could be charged with Article 21 of the Anticorruption Law for obstructing an investigation if it is discovered that they aided or abetted Neneng’s stay in Malaysia. The two are now suspects in Neneng’s case.

Neneng, the wife of graft suspect and former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, refused to comment after her questioning.

She fled the country in May last year, along with her husband, to avoid investigation by the KPK.

She was implicated in a bribery scandal involving a contract issued by the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry in 2008 to procure Rp 8.9 billion (US$940,575) in solar power equipment.

The KPK is currently looking deeper into the Malaysians’ role in Neneng’s avoidance of the Indonesian authorities.

KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto has repeatedly stated that indications emerged that the two might be linked to a Malaysian state-owned company called Merah Holdings, as advisers to a Malaysian sultanate, despite last week’s statement by Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Munshe Afdzaruddin Bin Syed Hassan that the men were not linked to any Malaysian royal family.

“It may be better to wait to further confirmation of their identities because investigations are currently ongoing,” he said.

Many believe Neneng had falsified her travel documents, considering that she could pass through immigration checkpoints and remain abroad since fleeing in May 2011.

Neneng’s lawyer, Hotman Paris Hutapea, said that she had taken a route normally followed by illegal immigrant workers. However, he denied that Neneng had falsified any documents.

He said Neneng did not know the Malaysians on the same flight as her as she returned to Indonesia.

The two Malaysian suspects are currently being detained separately.

Azmi is detained at the East Jakarta Police Detention Center while Hasan is at the Jakarta Police
Detention Center.

Speculation was rife soon after Neneng’s return to the country, that she was to move her assets abroad.

Sources have said that the reason behind Neneng’s return was actually to transfer the assets in the form of cash, travelers checks, and other valuables worth Rp 1 trillion (US$106 million), which she jointly controls with Nazaruddin.

The KPK has denied the speculation.

On Friday, the KPK also summoned two other Democratic Party officials for questioning in connection with the athlete’s village development graft case in which a former Democratic Party legislator, Angelina Sondakh, was allegedly involved.

Democratic Party lawmakers Edy Sitanggang and Max Sopacua arrived at KPK headquarters at 10 a.m.

Edy said that the KPK investigators questioned him on the party’s internal fact finding team that was created last year to investigate the graft case.

Edy confirmed that the team had held a meeting in May 2011, which was attended by Angelina, but denied that she had acknowledged any wrongdoing. Nazaruddin, who also attended that meeting, has testified in court that Angelina admitted her role in the case to members of the team and that she had accepted Rp 9 billion.

The KPK named Angelina a suspect on Feb. 3, 2012.

Graft convict Nazaruddin told the Jakarta Corruption Court that Angelina admitted to receiving Rp 9 billion from Andi Mallarangeng. Of the Rp 9 billion, Angelina is said to have given Rp 5 billion to Mirwan and several other politicians, Rp 2 billion to Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum and Rp 1 billion to the party’s faction at the House of Representatives.

Angelina was also charged of accepting a bribe related to a dubious budget allocation for the Education and Culture Ministry. (fzm)