Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 10/21/2008 11:31 AM | National
The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has named two former Indonesian ambassadors to China as suspects in an alleged graft case that resulted in US$10.28 million in state losses.
"The two former envoys were declared suspects in the alleged misappropriation of visa fees," Assistant Attorney General for Special Crimes Marwan Effendi said in Jakarta on Monday.
He declined to identify the former ambassadors but said they had been stationed in China between 1999 and 2004.
During the five-year period, Indonesia's ambassadors to China were Lt. Gen. (ret) Kuntara and Rear Adm. (ret) Anak Agung Kustia.
The AGO began its investigation into the case two weeks ago.
Marwan said the two suspects had allegedly pocketed fees for visa documents, passports and special travel documents between May 2000 and October 2004.
A decree on immigration fees issued by the Indonesian ambassador to China on Sept. 24, 1999 stipulated a revised procedure for channeling the money and said applicants must pay 55 yuan (US$8) for a passport.
The guilty parties then charged higher fees at the embassy while filing payment reports with the Foreign Affairs Ministry based on lower fees, allowing them to pocket the difference. The criminal activity, Marwan said, resulted in state loses of 10.27 million yuan and US$9,613.
"Both ambassadors must be held responsible for what they did. They should have been aware that such fees must first be approved by the House of Representatives. The collected fees must be transferred to the state coffer," he said.
Marwan said the AGO would arrest the two envoys soon.
Attorney General Hendarman Supandji previously dismissed the allegation, saying the investigation had come too late.
"(After years), we have just received the report," he said.
The alleged embezzlement is the third case implicating Indonesian ambassadors.
Previously, the Corruption Court sentenced former Indonesian envoy to Malaysia A. Hadi Wayarabi and his successor Rusdihardjo to two years' imprisonment each for doubling immigration fees.
Former Indonesian envoy to Singapore M. Selamet Hidayat is currently on trial at the same court for allegedly increasing the budget for renovating the embassy's office building and adjoining housing complex.
The AGO has said it is focusing its investigations on alleged corruption cases at governmental bodies.
The AGO also questioned four officials at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry on Monday in connection with an alleged graft case at the ministry that is estimated to have caused Rp 400 million (US$41,000) in state losses.
Marwan said the case implicated ministry officials who had embezzled money generated from fees for accessing information on the ministry's website www.sisminbakum.com since 2001.
"The payments (for the service) went to certain people at the ministry and a private company, PT SRD," he said.
Every month, about 200 users register as members on the website for a fee Rp 1.3 million each.
The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has named two former Indonesian ambassadors to China as suspects in an alleged graft case that resulted in US$10.28 million in state losses.
"The two former envoys were declared suspects in the alleged misappropriation of visa fees," Assistant Attorney General for Special Crimes Marwan Effendi said in Jakarta on Monday.
He declined to identify the former ambassadors but said they had been stationed in China between 1999 and 2004.
During the five-year period, Indonesia's ambassadors to China were Lt. Gen. (ret) Kuntara and Rear Adm. (ret) Anak Agung Kustia.
The AGO began its investigation into the case two weeks ago.
Marwan said the two suspects had allegedly pocketed fees for visa documents, passports and special travel documents between May 2000 and October 2004.
A decree on immigration fees issued by the Indonesian ambassador to China on Sept. 24, 1999 stipulated a revised procedure for channeling the money and said applicants must pay 55 yuan (US$8) for a passport.
The guilty parties then charged higher fees at the embassy while filing payment reports with the Foreign Affairs Ministry based on lower fees, allowing them to pocket the difference. The criminal activity, Marwan said, resulted in state loses of 10.27 million yuan and US$9,613.
"Both ambassadors must be held responsible for what they did. They should have been aware that such fees must first be approved by the House of Representatives. The collected fees must be transferred to the state coffer," he said.
Marwan said the AGO would arrest the two envoys soon.
Attorney General Hendarman Supandji previously dismissed the allegation, saying the investigation had come too late.
"(After years), we have just received the report," he said.
The alleged embezzlement is the third case implicating Indonesian ambassadors.
Previously, the Corruption Court sentenced former Indonesian envoy to Malaysia A. Hadi Wayarabi and his successor Rusdihardjo to two years' imprisonment each for doubling immigration fees.
Former Indonesian envoy to Singapore M. Selamet Hidayat is currently on trial at the same court for allegedly increasing the budget for renovating the embassy's office building and adjoining housing complex.
The AGO has said it is focusing its investigations on alleged corruption cases at governmental bodies.
The AGO also questioned four officials at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry on Monday in connection with an alleged graft case at the ministry that is estimated to have caused Rp 400 million (US$41,000) in state losses.
Marwan said the case implicated ministry officials who had embezzled money generated from fees for accessing information on the ministry's website www.sisminbakum.com since 2001.
"The payments (for the service) went to certain people at the ministry and a private company, PT SRD," he said.
Every month, about 200 users register as members on the website for a fee Rp 1.3 million each.
