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I wouldn't steal small change: Suryadharma
Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali said that the corruption charges brought against him were baseless
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ormer religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali said that the corruption charges brought against him were baseless.
Suryadharma said that he would not lower himself to asking for commissions from companies that won government tenders to provide accommodation for haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
'We could rent between 300 and 500 hotels. It is not possible for me to come to them one by one and ask for fees. How many hotels could I go to in one day in Mecca? I am not going to allow myself to do such a thing,' Suryadharma said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
He said that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) should go after lower-level officials at the ministry and not start with him.
'They suddenly aimed for the top. In other cases, they started from the bottom and now they accuse me of committing wrongdoings with my associates. Who are these associates? Sorry, I don't engage in corruption involving small change,' Suryadharma said.
The KPK named Suryadharma a graft suspect in connection with alleged irregularities in the 2012-2013 haj program, which led to around Rp 1 trillion (US$77.3 million) in state losses.
'We could rent between 300 and 500 hotels. It is not possible for me to come to them one by one and ask for fees. How many hotels could I go to in one day in Mecca? I am not going to allow myself to do such a thing,' Suryadharma said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
He said that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) should go after lower-level officials at the ministry and not start with him.
'They suddenly aimed for the top. In other cases, they started from the bottom and now they accuse me of committing wrongdoings with my associates. Who are these associates? Sorry, I don't engage in corruption involving small change,' Suryadharma said.
The KPK named Suryadharma a graft suspect in connection with alleged irregularities in the 2012-2013 haj program, which led to around Rp 1 trillion (US$77.3 million) in state losses.
