Jakarta – State Minister for National Development Planning Paskah Suzetta helped cover up the disbursement of Bank Indonesia funds to members of the House of Representatives, a former BI official said Wednesday.
Rizal Anwar Djafara, the former head of BI's public relations bureau, told the Corruption Court that Paskah arranged and attended several meetings to help find an exit strategy in the case, Antara reported.
In 2006, Rizal said, Paskah arranged a meeting between then BI governor Burhanuddin Abdullah and Golkar lawmakers Hamka Yandhu and Bobby Suhardiman, former members of the House's Commission IX on financial affairs, to discuss the issue at a hotel.
"When we (BI officials) arrived, Paskah was not there. But Hamka told us about Paskah's proposal," Rizal said in his testimony as a witness in the trial of Burhanuddin.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in its indictment alleges the BI board of governors in 2003 agreed to disburse a total of Rp 100 billion from the BI Indonesian Banking Development Foundation (YPPI). Some Rp 31.5 billion allegedly went to 52 members of Commission IX.
Paskah was then a member of the commission. In December 2005, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appointed him as a minister, replacing Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
The KPK said the money was distributed by former BI communications bureau head Rusli Simanjuntak to Hamka and Antony Zeidra Abidin, another Commission IX member. The alleged misappropriation of the BI funds was first noticed by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) during an audit of BI's 2006 financial report.
Rizal said the meeting resulted in an approval of Paskah's three suggestions.
"First, to set up a scenario that the money stopped at Rusli and did not go further to the lawmakers, thus making it Rusli's responsibility. Second, to make a political deal between BI and BPK. Third, to keep the case from going to court," Rizal said.
The KPK alleges BI disbursed the money to the commission members to expedite the settlement of BI liquidity support (BLBI) corruption cases and an amendment to the BI law.
Hamka previously testified to the court each of the commission's 52 members accepted at least Rp 250 million from him and Antony. He also testified he personally gave Rp 1 billion to Paskah in four payments, and Rp 250 million to Malam Sambat Ka'ban, the current forestry minister.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday summoned Paskah and Ka'ban to respond to the allegations. The ministers have been allowed to retain their posts until investigators formally name them as suspects.
Rizal also told the court BI officials and Antony held two meetings prior to the 2006 meeting. He said in the first meeting, Antony complained to Burhanuddin about being made a scapegoat and questioned why he was the only one named in the BPK audit report.
The court also heard the testimony of former BI analyst Asnar Ashari, who said Antony had asked for Rp 45 billion from BI. "But the bank could only afford Rp 31.5 billion," said Asnar, who admitted to giving the money, together with Rusli, to Antony in five installments.
Rusli and former BI legal affairs deputy Oey Hoey Tiong are currently on trial for distributing the money. Oey is charged with giving Rp 68.5 billion to five former BI officials implicated in the BLBI corruption case.