Adhyaksa’s mixed feelings over Hambalang

JAKARTA. Former youth and sports minister Adhyaksa Dault gave testimony on Tuesday as a witness in a trial concerning the Hambalang sports complex graft case.

Testifying for graft defendant Deddy Kusdinar, who was the ministry’s financial and internal affairs head, Adhyaksa admitted he had mixed emotions regarding the graft-ridden project.

He said he was relieved that the project had stalled due to problems in securing the land certification during his tenure from 2004 to 2009. “I am grateful now that the land certificate was not issued. If it had been issued, then I could have been dragged [into the case],” Adhyaksa said.

He added, however, that he also felt a tinge of envy at the way in which the project had been transformed from a modest, single-year project worth Rp 125 billion (US$10.7 million) into a multi-year project with an immense budget of Rp 2.5 trillion during the tenure of his successor, Andi Mallarangeng.