Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Nineteen PDI-P politicians received bribes during the 2004 election of a central bank deputy governor, a court heard Monday.
The prosecutors reading the indictment of former Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Dudhie Makmun Murod, the first suspect to be tried in the bribery case at the Corruption Court, said the politicians received Rp 9.8 billion (US$1.1 million) from a third party to back the election of Miranda Swaray Goeltom as Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor.
The disclosure is a blow to the party, which has called for an investigation into alleged corruption surrounding the government's decision to bail out Bank Century in 2008.
The latest legal trouble facing PDI-P politicians is seen by many as another political pressure from the ruling party on political parties blaming Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati in the bailout case.
Top-brass PDI-P politicians such as Panda Nababan, Izedrik Emir Moeis, and Agus Condro Prayitno were among those mentioned by the prosecutors. Panda collected the most with Rp 1.45 billion.
A PDI-P national executive board member Ganjar Pranowo told The Jakarta Post that his party would not intervene in the legal case involving his colleagues. "We obey the law," he said.
Party chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri was quoted as saying by Antara that she would not hesitate to drop fines on his subordinates who were proven guilty in the graft case.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) spokesman Johan Budi said all PDI-P politicians mentioned in Dudhie's trial would possibly be named suspects "as long as evidence and testimonies were sufficient".
The indictment said that Dudhie was ordered by Panda to meet Ahmad Hakim Safari, aka Arie Malangjudo, at a restaurant near the House of Representatives building. Panda said Arie would hand over an envelope with a red mark containing traveler's cheques worth a total of Rp 50 million each.
Arie was allegedly a middleman of Nunun Nurbaeti, the wife of former National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. (ret) Adang Daradjatun. "Nunun asked Arie to hand over a number of envelopes with red, yellow, green and white marks," the prosecutor said.
Miranda said that she had never bribed parliament members to back her re-election.
The case arose following the confession of a former PDI-P legislator Agus Condro that some lawmakers had received bribe money to support Miranda. The whistle blower remains free.
The KPK has also named three other suspects in the case: Endin A.J. Soefihara of the United Development Party (PPP), Hamka Yandhu of the Golkar Party, and Udju Djuhaeri, then member of the Indonesian military/police, also former member of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).