Gus Dur ready to be questioned by KPK over Faishal`s allegation

Jakarta, NU Online
KH Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur, chairman of the rule-making body of the Nation`s Awakening Party (PKB), said he was ready to be questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over legislator Yusuf Emir Faishal`s allegation he had once received Rp300 million from Faishal to pay medical bills.

"Go ahead, KPK, question me," the former president told a press conference at the office of the NU (Nahdlatul Ulama)`s Central Board in Jakarta on Wednesday (16/7).<>

Faishal was arrested by the KPK on Tuesday for allegedly accepting gratification money for the conversion of a mangrove forest area in Tanjung Api-api, South Sumatera.

In an attempt to explain what he had done with the money he had received, Faishal, a member of the PKB faction in the parliament, said, among other things, he had contributed Rp300 million to pay some of Gus Dur`s medical bills.

But Gus Dur said he had never received Rp300 million from Faishal to cover his medical expenditures. He pointed out being a former president, all his medical bills were paid by the state through the State Secretariat.

"If Faishal has proof of his claim, let us see it," Gus Dur said.

About Faishal`s other claims about having made donations to the PKB`s treasury, Gus Dur said, PKB was financially supported by the government, external donors and its cadres, and all the financial contributions it had received were meticulously recorded.

Asked whether he would take legal action against Faishal for making the false claims, Gus Dur said he would when Faishal`s statements proved to have adversely affected his good name.

Meanwhile, PKB Treasurer Aris Junaedi said the Rp300 million mentioned by Faishal was part of Rp900 million in unused funds intended to finance the activities of the party`s Regional Election Success Coordination Team.

"About 1.5 years ago, Faishal as former head of the Regional Election Success Coordination Team reported to Gus Dur there was Rp900 million in unused funds. Of the amount, Rp300 million was transferred to my account in BCA. That`s true but it was not gratification money, much less money to pay Gus Dur`s medical bills," Junaedi said.

"So, Faishal actually still owes the party Rp600 million which until now we have not yet been able to recover from him," the PKB treasurer was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

Djunaedi said he, too, was ready to be questioned by the KPK about the matter. (dar)