Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has denied any links to a plot to frame Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders in criminal cases, an allegation revealed in voice recordings whose transcript has been widely published.
"The President has stated that he never has any talked with anybody about the case," Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said as quoted by Antara. "The news [about the recording mentioning Yudhoyono's name] is really about some people using the President's name. And it's absolutely not right."
Dino urged the public not to be taken in by the sensationalism.
Yudhoyono's name was mentioned at least twice in the transcript of the recordings, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post.
The recordings are allegedly of conversations between middleman Ary Muladi, Anggodo Widjojo (the brother of graft suspect Anggoro Widjojo) and several unidentified high-ranking officials from the Attorney General's Office and the police, as they discussed a plan to frame KPK deputy chairmen Chandra Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto.
In one part of the conversation, between an unidentified woman and a man believed to be Anggodo, Yudhoyono was said to have given his support for the plan.
Woman: Just now Pak Ritonga [deputy attorney general Abdul Hakim Ritonga] called, laughing, [and said] tomorrow he would get himself a massage in Depok... [We] have got the support of SBY. Do you get it?
Man: Who?
Woman: All of us. Pak Ritonga has got the support. So later on the KPK will be closed.
National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri and Attorney General Hendarman Supandji have both questioned the validity of the recordings. However, acting KPK chairman Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean confirmed its existence Monday.
On Tuesday, the validity of the recordings was boosted after the AGO's former intelligence chief, Wisnu Subroto, and Anggoro's lawyer, Bonaran Situmeang – both of whom were allegedly taped in the recordings – admitted it was their voices on the tapes. "That's my voice talking to [Anggodo]," Bonaran told vivanews.com.
He also admitted to mentioning "RI-1" (the President's call sign) in their conversation, but added, "We mentioned [him] in relation to a letter for legal protection that we wanted to send him.
"So Anggodo only made sure the letter for RI-1 had been completed." Bonaran said he had sent the letter to the President on Aug. 10, but had not received a reply yet.
The recordings also indicate an apparent conspiracy to set up the KPK's Chandra.
Anggodo, for instance, told Ary to give false testimony against Chandra. Ary was told to confess that he had been ordered by Anggoro to give Rp 5 billion to Chandra to halt an investigation into Anggoro's company, PT Masaro Radiokom.
Ritonga, meanwhile, denied he had any involvement whatsoever in the case.
During their visit to the Post's office Tuesday, neither Bibit nor Chandra could verify the validity of the recordings, but confirmed the recordings existed and were in the KPK's possession.