H

span class="caption" style="width: 198px;">Hilmi Aminuddin: (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)The involvement of Hilmi Aminuddin in the import beef scandal has dealt another blow to the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

The revered cleric, who is also PKS chief patron and leader of its majelis syura (religious council), faced more questioning by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Thursday on his role in the case involving bribery to adjust government import beef quotas.

Hilmi was implicated in the case when a key witness testified that PKS leaders, including Helmi, had hatched a plan to use kickbacks from meat import company PT Indoguna Utama to pay for party election campaigns.

The witness, Elda Devianne Adiningrat, told the Jakarta Corruption Court on Wednesday that the scheme was devised at a meeting last year in Lembang, West Java, that was attended by Hilmi, former PKS chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, PKS leader and Agriculture Minister Suswono and Fathanah.

Luthfi and Fathanah have been charged with criminal offenses in the scandal.

Ridwan Hakim, Hilmi'€™s son, was also alleged to have asked Fathanah to pay Rp 17 billion (US$1.8 million) to a party leader identified as '€œengkong'€ (used to refer to a grandfather) that some speculate is a reference to Hilmi.

Speaking after his questioning on Thursday, Hilmi confirmed that he had met Fathanah in Lembang during Idul Adha celebrations in Oct. 2012, saying that Aksa Mahmud, the founder of the Bosowa Corporation conglomerate, was also in attendance.

'€œI took Aksa and his entourage to visit the local artificial insemination agency. It turned out that Fathanah was among his entourage,'€ Hilmi said.

Hilmi previously claimed that he did not know and had never met with Fathanah, a close aide to Luthfi, who the KPK arrested shortly after he allegedly accepted a Rp 1 billion (US$103,000) bribe from PT Indoguna Utama intended for Luthfi.

Hilmi'€™s lawyer, Zainuddin Paru, said that Fathanah came to Hilmi'€™s house along with Aksa and denied all allegations leveled against his client.

PKS spokesman Mardani Ali Sera said that Hilmi'€™s summons by the KPK was a blow to the PKS'€™ rank and file who revered him as a teacher.

'€œThat is why we believe our leaders more,'€ Mardani said.

Hilmi is one of two PKS politicians given lifetime appointments to the party'€™s religious council, which typically appoints its members after direct elections.

Contacted separately, Burhanuddin Muhtadi, a political analyst from the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) who has extensively studied the party, said that Hilmi'€™s implication in the scandal had dealt a heavy blow to PKS members across the nation.

'€œAs the head of the party'€™s highest organ, Hilmi has been perceived as a godfather by PKS members,'€ Burhanuddin said. '€œHilmi being summoned by the KPK, even though he was only a witness at that time, was enough to hit the heart of the party, particularly given that the PKS is a member-based party that has made certain figures into respected patrons.'€

'€œHilmi'€™s position has been deemed sacred. Hence, his summons by the KPK has had severe psychological effects on party members nationwide,'€ Burhanuddin added.

As a result, many PKS members had lost their ability to think critically and were recklessly and aggressively defending Hilmi and the party, according to Burhanuddin. '€œThey just run amok to counter the KPK'€™s moves.'€

Not all PKS members had become irrational, according to the analyst. '€œA significant number of PKS members, according to my observations, are instead stepping away from the party following the KPK'€™s investigation into the beef scandal.'€