THREE GOLKAR POLITICIANS RECEIVED CHEQUES IN MIRANDA GOELTOM CASE

Jakarta, March 22 (ANTARA) - Three politicians from Golkar Party confessed here on Monday having received cheques worth hundreds of millions of rupiahs allegedly relating to the election of a senior central bank deputy governor in 2004.

TM Nurlif, Asep Rokhimat Sudjana and Antoni Zeidra Abidin made the confession at the corruption court trying Hamka Yamdhu, also a politicial from the party, for allegedly receiving a bribe in the election of BI senior deputy governor Miranda S Gultom in 2004.

The three received the cheques when they were members of House Commission IX for the 1994-2004 period.

TN Nurlif confessed receiving 11 cheques totally worth Rp550 million. "I received the cheques from pak (Mr) Hamka Yamdhu," he said.

He said he received the cheques to meet his needs including for campaign purposes. He said he later asked his little brother to disburse the cheques.

Asep Rokhimat Sudjana meanwhile confessed receiving three cheques worth Rp150 million also from Hamka Yandhu. He said he received the cheques at a meeting room. "I think they were meant for friendship," he said.

Antony Zeidra Abidin meanwhile said he received ten cheques worth Rp500 million also from Hamka Yamdhu.

He presumed the cheques were given to meet his funding needs as a Golkar Party politician.

He said he disbursed eight of them through an employee of Bank Mega while the two others were disbursed by his wife and neighbor.

Bank Mega marketing staff Patrisiana Sibarani who testified at the trial confirmed Antony's statement. Patrisiana said he recieved the cheques from Antony and Hamka Yandhu in stages in several places including at Hotel Sultan, Jakarta.

"But most of them were done at the office," Patrisiana said.

He said upon the request of Antony and Hamka the money was later deposited in the two's accounts at Bank Mega.

Upon the advice of his superior, Rosali Rosi, he said he did not transfer the cheques but cash them and later put the money in the two's accounts.

According to the prosecutors the three are among a number of parliament members from the 1999-2004 period receiving cheques in connection with the Miranda case.

They said the Golkar Party faction received cheques worth Rp7.3 billion from a businesswoan Nunun Nurbaeti who extended them through her man, Ahmad Hakim Safari MJ alias Arie Malangjudo.

The cheques were taken directly by Hamka Yandhu at Arie's office in Menteng, Central Jakarta. The cheques were given after Miranda Gultom was elected BI senior deputy governor on June 8, 2004.

The cheques were later distributed among other Golkar Party politicians such as TM Nurli, Baharuddin Aritonang, Antony Zeidra Adidin, Akhmad Hafiz Zamawi, Boddy Suhardima, Reza Kanarullah, Paskah Suzetta, Hengky Baramuli, Asep Rokhimat Sudjana, Azhar Mukhlis and Martin Bria Seran.

Hamka Yandhu was the one receiving the most namely Rp2.25 billion.

The prosecutors said before the extension of the cheques and the election of BI senior deputy governor members of Golkar Party faction held a number of meetings including at the House Commission IX meeting room at the 14th floor of the parliament building.

At the meeting Paskah said that Golkar decided to choose Miranda as BI senior deputy governor.

"At the time there were also informal talks about funding support," prosecutor Riyono said.

The decision turned into reality during the election at the House Commission several days later.