Armando Siahaan, Jakarta – Golkar Party members are on the defensive against rumors that detained rogue tax official Gayus Tambunan met their party chairman, Aburizal Bakrie, in Bali.
The high-profile former taxman was allegedly spotted enjoying an international tennis tournament in Bali on Nov. 5, when he was supposed to be behind bars in Depok.
But his appearance took a political twist when businessman-turned-politician Aburizal was also seen at the tournament, although on a different day. This spurred speculation that it was no coincidence the two were in Bali at the same time.
Gayus amassed a fortune that he says came from bribes from companies including miners Kaltim Prima Coal, Arutmin and Bumi Resources, which are linked to Aburizal. The companies have denied paying bribes.
The rumor mill has been buzzing that Gayus and Aburizal had a rendezvous in Bali. "There was no meeting," Lalu Mara Satriawangsa, a senior Golkar politician and Aburizal spokesman, told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday.
He confirmed that the Golkar chairman did attend the tennis tournament, but said he arrived on a different day to when Gayus was allegedly spotted in Bali. "Aburizal was in Palembang for a Golkar meeting on Friday," Lalu Mara said. "He didn't arrive in Bali until Saturday."
He added that Aburizal was not perturbed by the rumor. "He said that such talk was common in politics," especially since Golkar's popularity was rising, as indicated by its triumph in regional elections and at least one national survey.
The secretary general of Golkar, Idrus Marham, said that while he regarded the alleged meeting as a non-issue, he was concerned by the growing rumors. "Golkar does not want to respond to issues that are irrational and not intellectual," he said. "Why should we respond? If we do, then it would be counterproductive for us."
But he said that Golkar would take further action if the rumor continued to grow and defamed the party chairman, and therefore the party.
Aburizal has been reported as denying he was in Bali to meet Gayus, claiming he did not know the former taxman personally.
Other Golkar politicians said the rumor was a systematic effort by unidentified groups to ruin the party's image by attacking its chairman.
"Golkar rebukes any effort that seeks to ruin the image of the party," lawmaker Bambang Soesatyo said on Sunday. The allegations "are being exploited by certain parties to corner Golkar and the party chairman," he added.
The vocal lawmaker went a step further: "It wouldn't be unreasonable for Golkar members to think that Gayus's appearance in Bali was fabricated especially to attack Golkar."
Bambang called on the National Police chief, Gen. Timur Pradopo, to investigate who gave permission for Gayus to be given leave passes from prison.
An investigation has led to the suspension of the chief warden and eight guards at the detention facility at the National Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Depok. Two other police officers allegedly received similar treatment.