Ginandjar, Sudjana may face corruption charges

Former chief economics minister Ginandjar Kartasasmita and former mines and energy minister Ida Bagus Sudjana could be declared suspects in a financial scandal involving state oil and gas company Pertamina, a public prosecutor said yesterday.

Barman Zahir, a senior official at the Attorney General's Office, said an ongoing investigation into a Pertamina corruption case has implicated Ginandjar and Sudjana, Satunet online news service reported.

Former Pertamina president director Feisal Abda'oe has already been questioned as a suspect in the case involving the development of four oil refineries owned by the company.

Feisal signed a Technical Assistance Contract (TAC) for the project, in which corruption ended up causing the state to suffer losses of US$23.3 million.

Zahir said testimonies from Feisal and witnesses indicate Ginandjar, a current deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), and Sudjana were involved in the scandal.

Prosecutors will further question Feisal tomorrow to gather more information on the roles played by the former ministers who both served under autocratic ex-president Soeharto.

According to prosecutors, the TAC was unnecessary for the development of the four refineries. But Pertamina and its business partner PT Ustraindo Petro Gas (UPG) signed it anyway.

Under a memorandum of understanding signed by the two parties, Feisal handed over an active oil well that did not require a TAC to PT UPG.

Ginandjar, who is currently on leave from his parliamentary duties and lecturing in the US, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying he is prepared to be investigated by the Attorney General's Office. (*)