Ginandjar declines to fulfill summon by House commission

Former chief economic minister and mining and energy minister Ginandjar Kartasasmita declined to be summoned by the House of Representatives commission VIII on mining and energy to be questioned over various problems involving gold mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia and the independent power producers.

The Neraca daily said that Ginandjar could not fulfill the summon because he was still conducting a research work at the Harvard University in the U.S.

"We can't accept this excuse," said deputy of the commission Emir Moeis.

Emir said that the commission would send another letter to summon Ginandjar.

Freeport is a gold mining giant operating in the West Papua province. The company had faced various allegations including human rights violation and practices of corruption, collusion and nepotism.

The case of the independent power producers emerged after the country was hit by the economic and financial crisis in the middle of 1997. There has been allegations that the cost of the projects had been greatly marked up and had caused the state electricity firm PLN to become virtually bankrupt. Government officials are believed to be also involved in this corruption. (*)