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View all search resultsSuryadharma says he is ready to be detained
Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali claims he is ready to be detained after undergoing questioning as a suspect in an alleged graft case surrounding the 2012-2013 haj pilgrimage program
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F
ormer religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali claims he is ready to be detained after undergoing questioning as a suspect in an alleged graft case surrounding the 2012-2013 haj pilgrimage program.
'I have previously said I will follow all legal processes,'Suryadharma said as quoted by Antara shortly after arriving at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) headquarters in Jakarta on Friday.
The former United Development Party (PPP) chairman was accompanied by his lawyers, Humprey Djemat and Andreas Nahot Silitonga.
On Feb. 24, Suryadharma skipped his first questioning as a suspect for the second time, saying he had filed a pretrial hearing request at the South Jakarta District Court. Earlier, he failed to answer his summons on Feb.10 as he was receiving medical treatment at MMC Hospital in Jakarta.
'I have sought justice by filing a pretrial hearing request, but the court said it did not have the authority to decide on my status as a suspect. I think the judge did not have [enough] courage. I'm really disappointed,' said Suryadharma.
He also called his charges into question.
'I have been named a suspect now for 10 months. But up to now, there has been no exact amount given for state losses. How much is it? As stipulated by laws, this must be clear, but to this day, there is no exact number on this, right? There are only assumptions that state losses amounted to around Rp 1.8 trillion (US$139 million). How do they get such number?' said Suryadharma.
He later explained about the seats left in the haj quota, saying they were suspected of having been used for the minister's families and colleagues.
'Of the total 211,000 seats in the haj quota allocated every year, there were a number of haj pilgrims that failed to depart for Saudi Arabia for various reasons, such as being sick, pregnant, or being unable to fully pay the haj fees,' said Suryadharma.
'There were no haj pilgrims who experienced losses,' he said, referring to his case.(ebf)(+++)
