Adianto Simamora and Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – The release of Tim Weiner's Pulitzer-winning book The Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA in Indonesia has sparked controversy over allegations former vice-president Adam Malik was involved in the US spy agency and the overthrow of Sukarno.

Although the book was released almost a year and a half ago in the US, debate has erupted here after Jakarta-based Gramedia Pustaka Utama published the Indonesian version of the book, titled Membongkar Kegagalan CIA (Uncover CIA Failures) recently. Like other sceptics, Vice President Jusuf Kalla expressed disbelief Monday at the content of the book, particularly its description of Adam as a former Marxist who was recruited under CIA top official Clyde McAvoy when they met in Jakarta in 1964.

Adam, allegedly acting as a spy for the CIA, recieved US$10,000 to spearhead a movement to cleanse communists following their abortive coup attempt on Sept. 30, 1965.

"I do not believe the allegations against Adam. He could never have carried out the actions stated in the book," Kalla said. "Adam's political orientation was not in line with the US ideology. As founder of the Murba Party, Adam held socialist views, so it was unlikely he would have joined the CIA."

Kalla said Adam was known as an easy-going person, which helped him make friends with many people, including US diplomats.

The book is based on more than 50,000 documents, primarily from the archives of the CIA itself, and hundreds of recorded interviews with CIA veterans, including 10 directors of the agency.

But Kalla regretted the publication of the book and asked its writer, a New York Times journalist, to take responsibility for the potential damage he had caused. A similar request came from the House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono, who asked the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to ban the book.

AGO spokesman Jasman Pandjaitan said his office could not implement a ban without investigating the book thoroughly. "We can order for the book to be withdrawn from shelves if our investigation suggests it will destabilize the country's politics, security, ideology, society or culture," he said.

He said Adam's family could file a complaint with the AGO against the book.

There are at least six texts highlighting the controversy surrounding the 1965 coup attempt and ensuing transfer of power from Sukarno to Soeharto. Since the fall of Soeharto the government has called on historians to collect the necessary facts to rewrite the dark chapter of the country's history.