President and Son Accused of Accepting Kickbacks From Hambalang
Tri Dianto, a supporter of ousted Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, alleged that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, above, and his son Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono had accepted kickbacks from the graft-tainted Hambalang sports center project (EPA Photo/Barbara Walton)
Tri Dianto, a supporter of former Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, alleged that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his son Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono had accepted kickbacks from the Hambalang sports center project and challenged the country's antigraft body to question them both.
Tri, who was summoned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as a witness for Anas, said the KPK needed to summon Edhie because he was the member of the steering committee during the Democratic Party's national congress in Bandung, West Java, in 2010. He added that both the president and his son received kickbacks from other projects.
He added that the president should also be questioned by the KPK in his capacity as the party's chief advisor.
"SBY too was in charge of the Democratic Party congress in Bandung and he was also part of Andi Mallarangeng's campaign team," he added.
Former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin previously disclosed that funds from the Hambalang project went to the party's congress to help Anas win the chairmanship.
It was reported that Anas needed between Rp 80 billion and Rp 100 billion ($7 million and $9 million) to win the election.
The KPK widened the scope of its investigation of Anas — who had been named as one of the suspects along with Andi, a former youth and sports minister, — from the Hambalang project to the Democratic Party's 2010 congress.
But when asked about the flow of funds in the congress, Tri claimed that he only learned about it from news reports.
"I've heard about it. But, I don't know any further. I am clean. I learned from the media that there was money distributed at the congress," Tri said.
He also threatened that he would disclose the names of the party's elites who often asked for projects from Nazaruddin.
"I will explain it later. One thing is certain, they often asked for projects from Nazar," Tri said.
Nazaruddin, who owned Permai Group, often won government projects and then subcontracted it to other companies.
So far, the KPK has named four suspects: former minister Andi, Anas; former state-owned construction firm director Teuku Bagus Mokhamad Noor; and former youth and sport ministry financial controller Deddy Kusdinar.
Andi has consistently maintained that he played no part in the Hambalang graft scandal.
The KPK has also questioned Anas' rivals in the party's chairmanship race, such as Marzuki, Andi and Andi's brother Zulkarnaen Mallarangeng who acted as Andi's campaign manager.
KPK investigators have further questioned several Democratic Party officials such as deputy secretary general Saan Mustopa and the party's secretarial staff Eva Ompita.
The KPK has also questioned hotel staff where the congress took place and staff at another hotel where some of the participants in the congress stayed.
The antigraft body named Anas as a suspect for accepting kickbacks in the Hambalang sports center project and other government projects during his term as a lawmaker between 2009 and 2014.
The Hambalang center reportedly cost the state as much as Rp 471.7 billion.
In response to Tri's call for the KPK to summon President Yudhoyono and his son Edhie, who is also the party's secretary general, Democratic Party deputy secretary general Andi Nurpati said all legal processes should be left to the KPK.
Andi said the Democratic Party respects the law that implicated her colleagues in the party.
Asked whether she had information about the Hambalang project fund, which allegedly went to the congress, Andi said she had not joined the party at that time.
"I don't know because I was still with the General Elections Commission at the time and I don't know anything related to the congress," she said.
KPK deputy chairman Busyro Muqoddas previously said it was just a matter of time before the antigraft body would take Anas into custody.
He said he understood why people thought Anas was untouchable because of his status as a suspect who had not yet been detained.
Busyro noted that Anas' situation was similar to Andi's.
He reiterated that Anas would eventually be arrested as the investigation was still ongoing.
He also made assurances that the KPK would not be influenced by politics when it eventually arrested Anas.
"We have never been and will never be influenced by external factors, let alone take politics into our consideration," he said.
"That's not allowed at all. It will be purely based on legal considerations," Busyro said.
KPK chairman Abraham Samad previously said he intended to detain Andi soon.
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