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State Palace says it did not interfere in Dahlan Iskan's case
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Former state-owned enterprises minister Dahlan Iskan (center) walks after being questioned on Oct. 17 by East Java prosecutors as a witness on alleged corruption in the sale of assets from East Java-owned company PT Panca Wira Usaha. The prosecutor’s office named him a suspect after his fifth questioning session on Thursday. (Antara Photo/Umarul Faruq)
T
he State Palace has brushed off claims by former state-owned enterprises minister Dahlan Iskan about political motives behind his arrest at the hands of the East Java Prosecutor's Office over alleged graft.
"I am not sure whether what Dahlan said about being targeted by [those] in power was aimed at President Jokowi [Joko Widodo]. Because in law enforcement efforts, the President never targets anybody," Presidential Spokesman Johan Budi Sapto Prabowo said on Friday, as reported by kompas.com.
Law enforcement was under the authority of law enforcement institutions, namely the Attorney General's Office, the National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission, he added.
"The President never interferes with law enforcement officials in anyone's legal process," Johan further said.
Dahlan was named as a suspect on Thursday evening in his capacity as former president director of East Java-owned enterprise PT. Panca Wira Usaha (PWU) following an investigation into alleged irregularities in the sale of 33 company assets during his time at the helm of the company from 2000 to 2010.
He is detained at Surabaya Penitentiary after being declared a suspect. He said he was not surprised about his arrest, claiming it was politically motivated.
"I have become a target by [those] in power," the media mogul said soon after being questioned by investigators.
Dahlan was the minister of state-owned enterprises in the administration of former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and before that served as the president director of state-owned electricity company PLN, from 2009 to 2011. (rin)
