SBY, Son Refuse to Comply With KPK Summons: Lawyer
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his son Edhie Baskoro have refused a request from the KPK to testify in the Hambalang corruption case. (ID Photo/David Gitaroza)
Jakarta. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his son Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono have refused to comply with a request for questioning by antigraft investigators handling the case of Anas Urbaningrum, the former chairman of the president's corruption-riddled Democratic Party, a lawyer said on Monday.
The Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK ,is known to have issued the request on April 28 for both Yudhoyono and Edhie, based on a request from Anas, who expected the pair to testify in his favor. Anas faces corruption and money-laundering charges in connection with the Rp 2.5 trillion ($218 million) project to build the Hambalang sports center in Bogor.
"That is not a summons [to oblige] but a request that they testify in favor of suspect Anas Urbaningrum, based on his request," the family's lawyer, Palmer Situmorang, said on Monday. "Our clients feel that they have no knowledge whatsoever concerning the substance of the case of Anas Urbaningrum. Thus they are unable to fulfill the request."
A reply has been dispatched to the KPK to explain the cause for the rejection, Palmer added.
KPK spokesman Johan Budi could not be reached for comment as of the time of writing.
Anas allegedly received Rp 2.2 billion in kickbacks from state-owned builder Adhi Karya, one of the companies awarded the lucrative Hambalang contract. He is alleged to have funneled some of the money to a number of top Democrat officials to support his bid to win the party chair in 2010.
KPK investigators alleged that a Rp 250 million down payment for Anas's Toyota Harrier SUV also came from the illicit money.
Anas has repeatedly said he wants Yudhoyono to testify for him, claiming that the president will be able to explain that the down payment came from him instead, as a thank for Anas's support of the president's 2009 re-election campaign.
Edhie was the chairman of the steering committee for the Democrats' 2010 congress where Anas allegedly paid off delegates to vote him in as chairman. Anas has repeatedly hinted that Edhie knew about the flow of the money during the event.
The Hambalang graft case is believed to have cost the state Rp 463 billion in losses, according to the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).
Another top Democrat ensnared in the case is Andi Mallarangeng, the former sports minister and Yudhoyono's hand-picked candidate to win the party chair in 2010. He is currently standing trial in the case
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