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View all search resultsIssue of the day: Suryadharma says he only borrowed money
Press briefing: Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali answers questions raised by journalists after his interrogation at the Corruption Eradication Commissionâs (KPK) building in Kuningan, South Jakarta
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Press briefing: Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali answers questions raised by journalists after his interrogation at the Corruption Eradication Commissionâs (KPK) building in Kuningan, South Jakarta. Suryadharma who has been named a suspect in connection with a graft case at the Religious Affairs Ministry, will stand trial immediately after his dossier is submitted to the state prosecutorâs office.(Antara/Hafidz Mubarak) (KPK) building in Kuningan, South Jakarta. Suryadharma who has been named a suspect in connection with a graft case at the Religious Affairs Ministry, will stand trial immediately after his dossier is submitted to the state prosecutorâs office.(Antara/Hafidz Mubarak)
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span class="caption">Press briefing: Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali answers questions raised by journalists after his interrogation at the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) building in Kuningan, South Jakarta. Suryadharma who has been named a suspect in connection with a graft case at the Religious Affairs Ministry, will stand trial immediately after his dossier is submitted to the state prosecutor's office.(Antara/Hafidz Mubarak)
Aug. 8, p4
Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali maintains that he did nothing wrong when he spent the ministry's operational funds, saying that he only borrowed the funds and had since returned them.
'If I took the funds for personal use, then they should be considered funds owed. I have proof that I returned the money,' he told reporters on Friday.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Suryadharma a graft suspect in early July in a new case centering on the alleged embezzlement of operational funds at the Religious Affairs Ministry.
The decision to name him a suspect was made during an in-depth investigation into a graft case related to 2012-2013 haj pilgrimage funds at the ministry, in which Suryadharma was allegedly involved and had previously been named a suspect.
The KPK named Suryadharma a suspect in the haj graft case in May last year. As for Suryadharma's haj fund graft case, the KPK has wrapped its investigation and is ready to bring the case to court.
Your comments:
I guess that he just wasn't 'transparent' enough. Either that or perhaps he felt that he could do as he 'flocking' well liked, because his position as minister for religious affairs obviously placed him head and shoulders above all the ordinary mortals!!
Sadly, until this type of arrogance, total disregard and disdain for the electorate as well as for the ministerial office continues, Indonesia is hardly going to be seen as a progressive democracy on issues such as transparency, openness and accountability, no matter how much she tries to argue to the contrary. A shining light she sadly isn't!
What a completely foolish clown. It certainly brings the entire Indonesian ministerial vetting processes, or lack of, into question doesn't it? Perhaps if Surhadyarma Ali had been minister of lame excuses, unintelligent grinning and hand signals he may have had a bit more in the way of a defensive but indefensible argument.
Mailing P.
And a person with this kind of rotten mentality was once a religious affairs minister who occupied that position for several years? How come his fellow Muslims didn't see through him?
Firepoch
C'mon CA, he wanted to pay interest on his borrowings but that would be un-Islamic, we are talking about a very religious man here.
Themis
Borrow and only return if caught. I lend to this Bank as well. It's a wrong argument.
Green R.
My God! As religious affairs minister, he should be a shining example of virtue to the people. He failed miserably, yet he shows no shame.
Dede S.
'Borrowed' US$138 million and 'returned' the funds, right!
Another example of a typical government employee. Lies, theft, blame, etc. A disgrace to the country and the human race.
Willo
So he thought the haj funds were a personal bank loan to him. Awesome logic.
Deddy K.
Look at him, what a fool he is. To think this trash used to rule the Religious Affairs Ministry, such a disgrace to the country.
Simba
