The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) must probe former forestry minister M.S. Kaban's role in the allegedly graft-riddled procurement of a radio communication system from PT Masaro, antigraft activists say.
"This is not the first time Kaban has been linked to a graft case.
"Previously, he was allegedly involved with a graft scandal at Bank Indonesia," ICW coordinator Febri Diansyah told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
"Now, it has been claimed he is involved in the Masaro procurement scandal. However, he has not been detained," he added.
The procurement scandal dates back to June 2008 when the KPK probed former legislator Yusuf Emir Faisal over allegations he received bribes from Masaro owner Anggoro Widjojo. The KPK also named Anggoro a suspect, but he fled to Singapore in July 2008.
He has remained at large since.
Anggoro's younger brother, Anggodo Widjojo, was then reportedly named in a taped recording to orchestrate a move to weaken the KPK.
He was said to be using his contacts at the National Police and the Attorney General's Office to frame the antigraft body's deputy chairmen, Chandra M. Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto, in graft cases.
The tape, which was broadcast at the Constitutional Court, sparked controversy and its transcript forced President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to establish a fact-finding team to investigate the truth behind the alleged anti-KPK movement by the police and the AGO.
It was during the team's investigation process that Kaban's name was seen to be linked to the Masaro graft case.
After a meeting Wednesday night with National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri on the Chandra-Bibit issue, team leader Adnan Buyung Nasution said during a press conference Kaban's alleged involvement was found when police were investigating the testimony of discharged KPK chief Antasari Azhar.
The investigation on Antasari's testimony, which was used to charge Chandra and Bibit, then found a connection with the raid on Masaro's office by the KPK.
During that raid a document was reportedly found containing information about Kaban's alleged involvement in the procurement scandal.
Buyung said Bambang told him the police did not follow up on the findings during its investigation process on the Antasari testimony because they believed the Masaro case was in the domain of the KPK.
A report by detik.com said KPK investigators had found the document indicated a payment worth Rp 14 billion (US$1.47 million) to Kaban. However, whether the document is valid has yet to be confirmed. The KPK has yet to investigate.
Febri said although there was not enough reason for the fact-finding to summon Kaban because the team had been employed to probe the Chandra-Bibit issue, he thought the team's findings about Kaban's alleged involvement should be enough to push the KPK to probe the former minister further.
"The team can issue a recommendation to the KPK to investigate and arrest Kaban," he said.
One of the team's members, Denny Indrayana, refused to comment on the matter when asked whether the team would summon Kaban on this matter.
Additionally, Kaban did not answer his phone when the Post tried to contact him on the issue.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/06/kpk-urged-probe-kaban039s-role-masaro-graft.html
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