KPK grills BI boss in graft scandal

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) spent eight hours Wednesday questioning Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah over a graft scandal involving the central bank and lawmakers.

However, the BI governor was not detained after the questioning, unlike two other suspects in the case from the central bank.

No reason was given by the commission as to why it did not arrest Burhanuddin.

His team of lawyers said they had filed a request with the commission not to detain their client after questioning.

"We have assured the KPK our client will be cooperative and attend all the questioning sessions scheduled by the KPK," lawyer M. Assegaf said.

Burhanuddin arrived at the KPK's Jakarta headquarters at around 9:30 a.m., accompanied by three lawyers and dozens of central bank employees, who said they were there to provide moral support.

The questioning lasted until just after 6 p.m.

Burhanuddin is charged with the misappropriation of Rp 100 billion (US$10.81 million) from the central bank.

He said he was relieved at having finished his first questioning session, saying the KPK still needed time to solve the case.

"I am personally concerned with this case and I hope everyone can support the KPK in resolving this matter," he told journalists after leaving the headquarters.

Assegaf said the KPK did not touch on some of the main points of the case, like how the embezzled funds went to several members of House of Representatives Commission IX overseeing financial affairs.

The KPK instead focused on questioning Burhanuddin about his authority and responsibilities as the central bank's governor, he said.

"The two investigators first asked Burhanuddin about his educational background, his work experience and his family life," the lawyer said.

He said the KPK also questioned Burhanuddin about the central bank's structure as well as the authority and duties of the deputy governors.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi confirmed the first questioning session did not touch upon the core issues of the case.

"We regard that such questions are still unnecessary," he said.

The questioning was colored by the appearance of a man distributing free copies of Cikeas magazine with a picture of Burhanuddin on the cover and a six-page exclusive interview inside. Cikeas is an area in East Jakarta where President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's private residence is located.

Apart from Burhanuddin, the KPK has also named BI legal affairs director Oey Hoey Tiong and BI Surabaya office head Rusli Simanjuntak, who is a former head of the central bank's communications bureau, as suspects in the case.

Both Oey and Rusli were detained last week.

The KPK has put travel bans on Burhanuddin and several active and former BI officials, including former BI governors Soedrajat Djiwandono and Syahril Sabirin, and former BI deputy governors Aulia Pohan, Aslim Tadjuddin, Bun Bunan Hutapea, Maman Sumantri and Iwan Prawiranata.

Jambi Deputy Governor Anthony Zeidra Abidin, a former lawmaker who allegedly received money from the central bank, has also been banned from leaving the country.

Some Rp 68.5 billion of the funds in question were used to hire lawyers for the resolution of Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support (BLBI) cases, while the remaining Rp 31.5 billion was allegedly given to several lawmakers on the House of Representatives' financial commission during the amendment of the law on the central bank.(The Jakarta Post)