Dahlan to name alleged blackmailer in next House meeting

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan has vowed to reveal the names of lawmakers allegedly extorting executives of state-owned companies in exchange of funding approval.

“I am not being slanderous here. If the House of Representatives wants me to reveal [the names of the lawmakers], then I will reveal them. But let’s wait until they summon me again,” Dahlan told reporters in his Jakarta office on Monday.

Dahlan also promised that he would attend the next hearing with the House lawmakers, after failing to attend two hearings earlier this month.

Last week, the cabinet secretary distributed official letters to ministers, ministry officials, and executives of state-owned enterprises instructing them not to conduct any “backdoor deals” with relevant authorities.

“They [state-owned enterprises executives and ministry officials] responded the letters positively. If they are offered chance to do “backdoor deals” in hotels and restaurants, now they could just show the letter to refuse such offers,” Dahlan said.

He added that such practice, when lawmakers blackmail executives of state-owned companies in compensation for their “services” of expediting legislative processes or approving funding requests, had been occurring since his tenure as president director of state-run electricity company PLN. (sat/iwa)