"The money is for Kamal. He is my friend and a close friend of Patrialis. I gave the money to him (Kamal) because he is close to Patrialis. He (Kamal) had asked for money. The US$20 thousand is for him to go to umrah (pay a minor Hajj pilgrimage)," Basuki said, after being grilled by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta, on Friday.
The KPK has named Patrialis as a suspect in a bribery case of MK judges in connection with the judicial review of Law No. 41 Year of 2014 on Animal Husbandry and Health.
He was suspected to have received US$20 thousand and will receive another S$200 thousand (about Rp2.1 billion) from Basuki, the President Director of PT Sumber Laut Perkasa and PT Impexindo Pratama.
"He (Kamal) said the money was for going to umrah, but I believe the money is for his personal purposes. I had given the money twice, US$10 thousand and US$10 thousand. The money amounting to S$200 thousand is still with me," Basuki added.
He also claimed that Kamal once promised him that he (Basuki) could win the judicial review of Law No. 41 Year of 2014.
The judicial review was filed by cattle breeders and the association of milch cow farmers who felt they were affected by the free importation of fresh beef.
"Yes, (he had promised) that we can win the judicial review. Though I know that Pak (Mr) Patrialis works based on normal procedures, I believe that he is not what people have thought of him today. He has not received any money from me," Basuki stated.
However, he admitted that Kamal often told him that the money would be given to Patrialis. (Yes, he (Kamal) had often told that. But I knew it would never happen. As he (Kamal) had told about him (Patrialis), I just gave him (Kamal)," Basuki asserted.
Meanwhile, Patrialis has denied receiving money from Basuki in connection with a judicial review of Law No. 41 of 2014 on Animal Husbandry and Health.
"I have not received a single cent from Basuki. Moreover, he has no legal case pending with the MK. It has nothing to do with the case," Akbar stated, after being questioned at the KPK building here, on Thursday night.
He informed the MK chief, deputy chief, and justices, as well as the entire Indonesian nation that he had faced oppression after being named a suspect.
"I swear by Allah that I have been really oppressed. You can ask Basuki about it. I have never spoken about money (with him)," he emphasized.
Akbar said that being named a suspect was an ordeal.
"I urge the MK not to worry about its reputation being tarnished owing to me being named a suspect. I love MK very much. God willing, Allah will help those who are right," he affirmed.
Earlier in the day, KPK Deputy Chief Basaria Panjaitan had announced the arrest of the MK justice over bribery charges.
"The alleged bribery charges are related to a judicial review of Law No. 41 of 2014 on Husbandry and Animal Health," Panjaitan stated.
The KPK arrested 11 suspects in the case in three different locations in Jakarta between 10 am and 9:30 pm local time on Wednesday.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
