Jakarta – A company owned by Tommy Suharto spent 12 billion rupiah on financing protests against Mr Abdurrahman Wahid after the then Indonesian president rejected his pardon plea in November 2000.

This admission was made yesterday by Mr Dion Hardi who was testifying at the murder and weapons trial of Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the youngest son of former president Suharto.

Mr Dion, Tommy's close friend, is president and director of Mampang Nugraha Prima. He said the money came from the company, owned by Tommy. "I held demonstrations against Gus Dur because I do not like him, someone who had hurt Tommy," he told the court.