KPK zeroes in on to SBY’s inner circle

JAKARTA. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is going after people inside President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) inner circle.

After questioning his presidential advisor on political communication, Daniel Sparringga, on Tuesday the KPK grilled Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto in a high-profile graft case implicating former energy and mineral resources minister Jero Wacik.

Last week, Daniel Sparringga was questioned on allegations that he had received dirty money from Jero, whom the KPK has charged with extortion.

Jero is a senior member of Yu-dhoyono’s ruling Democratic Party, while Djoko is known as one of Yu-dhoyono’s right-hand men.

After six-hours of questioning, Djoko, who like Yudhoyono’s is a 1973 Military Academy graduate, acknowledged that KPK investigators had attempted to cross-check information received from Daniel.

“The point is that investigators sought to confirm Daniel Sparringga’s testimony. There were around 16 questions,” Djoko said at KPK headquarters on Tuesday without elaborating further.

Djoko also did not deny that he had held a meeting with Daniel where they discussed Jero’s former role at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.

“I can’t answer the question, it is part of the ongoing investigation,” Djoko said, adding that he was questioned in his capacity as a coordinating minister.

Djoko’s questioning by the KPK raises further questions, because structurally speaking, Jero’s office falls under the supervision of the Coordinating Economic Minister, not the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister.

It is alleged that due to Djoko’s close relations with Yudhoyono, Daniel, who is reportedly Jero’s political consultant, once relayed Jero’s complaints regarding his operational budget, which he considered “very small”. Djoko, however, dismissed this account.

“No such thing happened,” he said.

The KPK has alleged that Jero was unhappy with his operational budget and forced subordinates to collect illegal levies from procurement-project kickbacks, marked-up ministry budgets and bogus programs in order to finance his activities, including paying Rp 2 billion to Indo Pos to get media coverage for his activities.

Commenting on Djoko’s questioning, KPK chairman Abraham Samad said: “The questioning of a witness does not mean the witness is guilty or directly implicated in the case.”

Meanwhile, KPK deputy chairman Zulkarnain denied suggestions that Djoko was one of “the third parties” whom the KPK said had benefitted from Jero’s alleged corruption.

The KPK earlier said that Jero had funneled his ill-gotten money to “third parties”, whose identities remain undisclosed.

“There is information that we can’t publish because such a move could hamper the ongoing investigation. The questioning [of Djoko] is important to shed light on JW’s alleged corruption. All details will be revealed when JW stands trial in the future,” Zulkarnain told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, referring to Jero by his initials.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday the antigraft body also questioned Jero Wacik’s wife, Triesna Wacik, for allegedly benefitting from Jero’s alleged extortion scheme.

Triesna declined to answer reporters’ question about whether Jero had paid her Rp 1 billion credit card bill for luxury items purchased abroad with illicit money.

“Please ask KPK investigators if you have any questions regarding the ongoing legal case. I am not allowed to speak publicly about the case,” Triesna said at KPK headquarters on Tuesday.

Separately, Yudhoyono’s spokesman, Julian Aldrin Pasha, said his boss knew about Djoko’s summons and as a result was forced to skip a Tuesday event at the Presidential Palace.

“The President always instructs his subordinates to honor any summons from law enforcement institutions, including the KPK,” Julian said at the State Palace on Tuesday.

Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam, however, refused to comment, arguing he had no information about Djoko’s summons. (Haeril Halim and Ina Parlina)